472 



C H E L N I A.- 



plated. The supra-tympanic plates are rather well developed. Under 

 the head, over the chin, they are small, subequal, and rounded, whilst 

 those covering the neck, shoulders, and axillae, are very minute, 

 and reduced to mere dermic indurations. They are, again, quite large 

 and unequal, rounded or polygonal, on the anterior aspect of the fore- 

 limbs, as likewise on the external half of their posterior aspects; 

 whilst they are moderate on the inner half of the same surface, under 

 the palms and over the carpi ; the nails being robust and well deve- 

 loped. On the posterior aspect of the thighs, under the soles of the 

 feet, and over the tail, the plates are larger than on the rest of the 

 surface of the hind limbs, and about the groins. The nails are less 

 developed than at the anterior limbs. 



The dorsal region is quite depressed ; the area covered by the second 

 and third dorsal shields is almost plane. The anterior margin of the 

 carapax is nearly straight; the sides are rounded and the lumbar 

 region quite convex. The anterior dorsal shield is the smallest ; the 

 fifth is the next in size ; the second and third are the largest, and 

 more developed transversely than the rest. The posterior pair of 

 costal shields is the smallest, and the second and third largest. There 

 are twenty-four marginal shields; eleven pairs and two odd ones, a 

 nuchal and a caudal one. The nuchal shield is very small, trans- 

 versely subelliptical ; the caudal shield is largest transversely than 

 any of the others, and its free edge is perfectly even and not in- 

 curved. The fifth and six pairs are much higher than all the rest, 

 and somewhat inclined backwards, as in the North American Gopher. 



As already stated, the anterior extremity alone of the plastron is 

 curved upwards. The gular pair of shields are rather projecting and 

 rounded upon their free edge. The posterior extremity of the plastron 

 is horizontal and deeply emarginated beneath the tail. The axillary 

 plate is elongated, subtrapezoid ; the inguinal plates subtriangular : 

 both being quite developed. 



The head, neck, limbs, and tail, are blackish ; the carapax is 

 blackish-brown obscurely maculated with yellowish-brown ; the plas- 

 tron is yellowish-brown, maculated with blackish-brown. 



Loc. Bay of Islands, New Zealand. 



