CHELONIA. 



2. CARETTA SQUAMOSA, Grd. 

 (Plate XXX, figs. 1-7.) 



SPEC. CHAR. Carapax cordiform, rather broad across the middle ; back 

 subconvex; periphery moderately serrated. Three middle vertebral 

 shields largest and subrhomboid ; anterior one smallest. Median 

 postoccipital plates rather broad, sometimes as broad as long. Middle 

 postorbital much larger than, the other two. No mental shields. 

 Skin of the neck studded with small horny plates. Ground color 

 yellowish and brownish-olive, maculated with black. 



. Testntfo squamosa, RAT, Synops. raeth. Anim. Quadr. & Serp. gen. 1693, 260. 

 Testudo imbricata, PENN. Ind. Zool. 1769, 87. 



Eretmochelys squamata, AGASS. Contr. Nat. Hist. U. S. Amer. I, 1857, 382. 

 Le Caret, FERM. Hist. nat. Holl. Equinox. 1767, 50. 



OBSERV. About two centuries ago, Bontius figured and described, 

 under the name of Testudo squamata* an animal inhabiting the rivers 

 of the Island of Java, and which cannot claim a place in the order 

 of Chelonians. If at all a reptile, its relationships must be sought for 

 amongst the Saurians. 



The prefix Testudo, however, has so much influenced his followers, 

 that the animal referred to has invariably been placed amongst the 

 Turtles. 



Thus, Linnaeusf makes it a synonym to the Shell-Tortoise, or Tes- 

 tudo (Caretta) imbricata, without further comment. 



Joh. Gottl. Schneider J takes some pains to inquire into the nature 

 of the animal, and, although struck with the great resemblance be- 

 tween the figure of Testudo squamata, of Bontius, and the quadrupeds 

 now known as Manis, he still thinks that Bontius must have had a 

 Turtle in view. He dissents from Linnaeus as to its being a marine 

 species, and places it in the fresh-water group. 



* Historiae naturalis et mcdicae Indiae orientalis Libri sex. Lib. V. Historia anima- 

 lium. 1658, 82. 



t Systema Naturae, &c., ed. XII. 



J Allgemeine Naturgeschichte der Sohildkrote, nebst einem systematischen Verzeich- 

 nisse der einzelnen Arten. 1783, 340. 



