APPENDIX TO THE CATALOGUE OF SHIELD REPTILES. 



23 



sides of the occiput ; beneath the throat and sides of the 

 neck white, including the lower half of the tympanum ; 

 a blackish margin to the lower edge of the lower beak, 

 becoming broader behind and extending along the sides of 

 the neck ; the beards white. 



The British Museum has received a very young fresh- 

 water Terrapin belonging to the family Hydraspidce, from 

 Cape York, North Australia. It agrees with the genus 

 Eheya in having no nuchal shield, and in having the back 

 of the neck furnished with regular longitudinal rows of 

 small conical spines. The skin over the temporal muscles 

 is divided into irregular convex tubercles ; the crown of the 

 head is covered with a continuous soft skin, which becomes 

 hard when dried. 



This specimen differs from all the known species of Eheya 

 in having four beards — that is to say, two short cylindrical 

 beards on each side of the hinder edge of the lower beak. 

 The two front are in the place where beards are usually 

 found in the genus, the two hinder at some distance behind 

 them. 



The head and back of the neck are dark olive ; the beaks 

 are greyish white, with a broad white streak from the angle 

 of the mouth extending behind towards the shoulders. 

 This streak is separated from the white throat by a black 

 streak on its lower side, which is extended in front, and 

 forms a narrow margin to the back edge of the lower beak. 

 The back of the shell is dark olive, the areolae occupying 

 nearly the whole of the plates ; the front marginal shields 

 with numerous minute spines ; nuchal shield none. The 

 underside of the marginal shields and the sternum white, 

 with a very narrow edge to the marginal plates ; a dark 

 oval spot on each side of the suture between the second and 

 third and hinder plates. 



This may be the type of a new genus characterized by 

 the four beards ; but I think it is most likely an acci- 

 dental variety of Eheya latisternum. We must wait 

 until we obtain more specimens to determine this point, 

 more especially as the top of the head wants the hard 

 surface of the older specimen of that genus. (See Ann. & 

 Mag. Nat. Hist. 1872, is. p. 303.) 



Elseya spinosa. 



Front of the sternum broad, much broader on the hinder 

 part, and with a rounded outline ; intermediate plate broad ; 

 nuchal plate very narrow and small. 



Euchelymys spinosa, Gray, Ann. fy May. Nat. Hist. 1871, 



viii. p. 118. 

 Elseya spinosa, Gray, P. Z. S. 1872,' p. 



Thorax broad, rounded in front, above brown varied with 

 black ; beneath pale brown marbled with black. 



Sab. North Australia (I860). 



Only a single specimen of this species has been received. 

 and it is so like some specimens of E. latisternum thai it 

 may possibly be an example of that species accidentally 

 possessing a nuchal plate. 



Elseya ? intermedia. 



The front lobe of the sternum rather wider than the 

 hinder one, regularly rounded ; the hinder lobe with straight 

 sides in front, and contracted in the hinder half : nuchal 

 plate none. 



Elseya dentata, adult, Gray, Suppl. Cat. Sh. Sept. p. 76. 

 Elseya intermedia, Gray, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 



Hnl'. North Australia, upper part of Victoria (Dr. J. 

 Elsey). 



This shell is very like a very old specimen of Eheya den- 

 tata ; but I prefer to describe it separately until we get more 

 examples. 



The thorax (which is without any remains of the animal) 

 is ovate, very solid and convex ; the hinder margin is dilated 

 and much wider in front, and much reflexed on the side. 

 Nuchal plate none. Second marginal plate on each side 

 wider than the rest ; the first vertebral plate five-sided, 

 produced on the front of the inner margin ; the second, 

 third, and fourth vertebral plates four-sided, rather sinuated 

 on the side of the margin ; the second and third rather more 

 than half as long again as broad ; the fourth much narrower, 

 twice as long as broad ; the fifth triangular, broader than 

 long. The sternum dark brown, with irregular white marks 

 in the centre. The intergular plate moderately broad. 

 The gular plates small, triangular ; postgular plates 

 moderate, narrowed on the inner edge ; the pectoral and 

 other plates large. 



j3. Front lobe of the sternum narrow, narrower linen the front 

 part of the hinder lobe; the sides of the front part 

 st raii/lit, divergent. 



Elseya ? dentata (p. 76), add : — 



The front lobe of the sternum narrow, with the sides 

 nearly straight, rapidly converging in front ; the gular 

 shields very narrow, elongate ; intermediate plate small, 

 linear ; nuchal plate none. 



