294 



3. Batagur Gray. 

 (GRAY, Cat. Shield Kept. I p. 35, 1855). 



Head covered with small scales on its posterior part only. 

 Skull with a bony temporal arch; edge of jaws denticulated; 

 alveolar surfaces very broad, of the upper jaw with two strong 

 denticulated median ridges; edge of jaws denticulated; choanae 

 behind the eyes. Neural plates long, hexagonal, short-sided in 

 front; fourth vertebral not longer than third, covering three 

 neuralia. Plastron united to the carapace by suture. Digits 

 very broadly webbed, with four claws. Tail very short. 



Distribution. Bengal; Burma; Malay Peninsula; Siam ; Cochin 

 China; Sumatra. 



A single species. 



i. Batagur baska (Gray). 



Emys baska, Gray, Syn. Kept. 1831, p. 24. 



Batagur baska, Boulenger, Cat. Chel. 1889, p. 61 (s. syn.). 



Batagur baska, Siebenrock, Zool. Jahrb. Suppl. X 1909, p. 456. 



Carapace a little depressed, smooth, with a vertebral keel 

 in the young; nuchal shield more broad than long; second to 

 fourth vertebrals almost equal, about as broad as the costals; 

 postero-lateral border of third vertebral concave. Plastron large, 

 convex, truncate anteriorly, notched posteriorly, angulate lat- 

 erally in the young; width of bridge exceeds the length of the 

 posterior lobe; suture between the gulars not more than half 

 that between the numerals; longest median suture between the 

 abdominals; inguinal shield large, axillary smaller. Head small, 

 covered with smooth skin and small scales on its posterior 

 part; snout pointed, long, produced upwards; edge of jaws 

 denticulated; upper jaw notched in the middle; mandibular 

 symphysis almost equals the diameter of the orbit. Limbs 

 with four claws and large, transverse scales; digits entirely 

 webbed. Tail very short. 



Olive-brown above; yellowish beneath. Length of shell 

 560 mm. (Not seen by me). 



Habitat: Sumatra (Tjinako river, Indragiri river near 

 Djapura, Fort de Kock). Malay Peninsula; Penang; Burma; 

 Bengal; Siam; Cochin China. 



Freshwater-tortoise, laying its eggs on sandy banks; omni- 

 vorous. 



