468 



CHELONIA. 



the anterior margin will be found truncated, and its pectoral sides 

 regularly rounded; its junction with the carapax is shelving inwardly 

 downwards ; its abdominal region is rounded also, whilst the pelvic 

 region is angular, tapering posteriorly, with the hind margin angu- 

 larly and broadly emarginated, apparently less so, however, in the 

 male than in the female. Its middle region, in the male, is subcon- 

 cave, or, at least, flat, whilst it is subconvex or somewhat bulging in 

 the female : a feature more or less common to Testudinata at large. 

 There are six pairs of shields over its surface : the anterior pair being 

 the smallest ; the posterior pair is the next in size, and subequal with 

 the second pair. As to the surface of the epidermis of this region, it 

 is smooth throughout. 



The head is of moderate size, subquadrangularly ovoid, the anterior 

 aspect of the snout being shelving inwardly downwards. The nostrils 

 are anterior, closely approximated, and situated at the upper region of 

 the declivity of the rostrum. The margin of the upper jaw being 

 emarginated or rather notched anteriorly, whilst its branches are 

 either straight or somewhat convex. The lower jaw is very strong 

 upon its symphysis, curved upwards at the apex, which is rather acute 

 (fig. 6). The eyes are large ; the lids thick and fleshy, with a horny, 

 thickened edge, obliquely inclined backwards. The tympanum is 

 subelliptical, obliquely inclined backwards, and situated immediately 

 above the angle of the mouth. The skin of the upper surface and 

 sides of the head is smooth and scaleless ; that of the chin, neck, 

 and shoulders is variously rumpled, subgranular in the young, and 

 tubercular in the adult. 



The limbs are rather stout, though not unusually long ; when the 

 anterior pair is stretched backwards, the tips of the nails reach the 

 posterior edge of the bony arch, which unites the plastron to the cara- 

 pax, whilst the posterior pair, in being extended forwards, brings the 

 tips of its nails to the anterior edge of the same arch. The arms and 

 forearms are protected by unequal and non-imbricated scales, much 

 larger on their anterior than on their posterior aspects. A somewhat 

 larger, cross series, may be observed under the carpus. Over the palm 

 of the hands, they are rounded, and much smaller towards the base 

 of the nails and under the web. The upper surface of the fingers ex- 

 hibits rather large transverse plates. The nails, five in number, being 

 quite acute. 



The skin at the inguinal regions is smooth and scaleless ; the ante- 



