21 



APPENDIX TO THE CATALOGUE OF SHIELD REPTILES. 



i n dentate, Gray, Ann. $ Mag. Nat Hist. L867, sx. 

 ,,." 1 1 ; Suppl. ( 'at.Sh. Rept. p. 76 ; P. '/■■ S. L872, p. , 

 }'. (underside). 



Hab. North Australia, Upper Vlotoria {presented by Dr. 

 John Ekey). 



There are two specimenB of this thorax in the British 

 M iseum without any part of the animal. Therefore we do 

 not positively know that they belong to this genus; but 

 they agree with it in having no nuchal shield, and in having 

 the hinder edge sinuated. 



The larger of the two specimens has the front vertebral 

 e Bve-sided, rather angularly produced in front, con- 

 siderably broader than long. The second, third, and fourth 

 are six-sided, longer than hroad, the fourth being narrowest 

 and longest, and each having a more or less distinct central 

 prominence near the hinder edgo. The bones of this spe- 

 cimen are well knit, and do not show the signs of youth. 



The younger example is very much more dilated on the 

 hinder margin, has the margin of the ribs separate, and a 

 considerable hole covered with membrane in the centre of 

 the sternum. The vertebral plates are all much longer than 

 It,, ad. the second and third being broadest, with an obscure 

 tubercle ; the fourth is nearly as long as broad, keeled. 



Dr. Krcft't has sent me a photograph of the underside of 

 the animal in spirit of this species, showing the existence 

 of two chin-beards, which appear- nearer together and more 

 in front than in Elseya latisternum ; but as yet I have not 

 seen the upper surface of the head. 



STERNOTH.ERUS (p. 78), add :— 



Abdominal shield as long as hroad, the same length as 

 the sterno-costal suture. Chin not bearded. 



Stemothaerus subniger (p. 79), add : — 

 Scteter, P. Z. S. 1871, p. 543. 



The species of Stemothmis are very aquatic in their 

 habits, keeping constantly in the water, whereas Pelomedusa, 

 of the same family, at least in the case of P. Gehafice, seem 

 never to enter the water. (Sclater, P. Z. S. 1871, p. 543.) 



PELOMEDUSA (p. 81), add :— 



Abdominal plate very short and broad, not nearly so long 

 as the sterno-costal suture. Chin with two beards. 



Pelomedusa Gehafiae (p. 81), add : — 

 Sclater, P. Z. S. 1871, p. 325 (fig.). 



Pelomedusa subrufa (p. 81), add: — 

 Gray, Tortoises $r. tab. 49, 50 (from life). 



Pelomedusa galeata, Peters, in Berlin. Monatsberichte, 

 ls.1l. p. 21 1 i, from Lumho and Querinda, is evidently the 

 Tortoise about which he wrote to mo in 1858, saying he 

 intended to call it P. mozambica, as cited in Cat. Sh. Rept. 

 p. 53. 



The British Museum lately received, along with a collec- 

 tion of fish in spirits from Dr. Wuchcrcr, from Bahia, a very 

 large specimen of Pelomedusa subrufa, which is a common 

 South-, East-, and West-African species. Is this another 

 instance of an African Tortoise having colonized, like 

 Kinixys, South America? It is considerably larger than 

 any other specimen we have received ; but I cannot see that 

 it differs in any other respect. 



Cornalia described a species of Pelomedusa, which is en - 

 tirely an African genus, under the name of Pentonyx ame- 

 rieana; and his description will fit young specimens of 

 this species. He says that it comes from New York. Can 

 that have been from an introduced specimen of P. subrufa 

 brought by the negroes from Africa, as Kinixys is also sup- 

 posed to have been ? 



Fam. PELTOCEPHALID.E (p. 82), add:— 



The skull differs from Chelonidce in the posterior frontals 

 being small, forming no part of the hood. 



Peltocephalidae, Gray, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 718. 



Tribe I. PELTOCEPHALINA. 



The head high, subcompressed ; parietal bone entirely 

 covering the temporal muscle. Nose produced, rounded 

 above, without any longitudinal groove. Chin beardless. 



Peltocephalina, Gray,P.Z.S. 1870, p. 719. 



1. PELTOCEPHALUS. 



Peltocephalus tracaxa. 

 Gray, Suppl. Cat. Sh. Rept. p. 84 ; P. Z. S. 1870, p. 71 9. 



Tribe II. PODOCNEMINA. 



Head depressed ; parietal expanded, covering the upper 

 part of the temporal muscle, leaving a broad rounded notch 



