EEPTILES OF BKITISH BIllMA. 15 



skin wliicli adorna the otbci* sex. Sliell above and below uniform 

 deep umber-brown, without any markings whatever. 



This species abounds within the tidal portions of the Maulmain 

 rivers, the Irawadi and Salween, mainly affecting deep clear- water 

 reaches, where grass grows to raidwater-mark, on which these 

 animals seem to subsist. They are of timid disposition, and in 

 the main licrl)ivorous ; tlicir dung soiTiewliat resembles that of a 

 donkey or some herbivorous mammal. The female oviposits on 

 the sand-banks near Zalon, on the IraAvadi, near the top of the 

 tideway, in January and February ; and the right of collecting the 

 eggs is farmed out by G^overnment ; and it is not easy therefore 

 to procure the females, who are protected by the lessee of the banks 

 through fear that they might desert the spot if molested. The 

 eggs are white and cylindrical, 2*60 long, twenty-five in number, 

 and weigh each 965 grains. It will be seen that they differ pro- 

 portionally very much, if compared with the eggs of the Sea-Turtle 

 {Couana), being one-third larger, whUst the animal is two-thirds 

 smaller ; but the amount of eggs laid by either is proportionally 

 very similar,bcing, roughly speakiug, G4,000 to 24',000 grains, which 

 is about the proportion the animals bear to one another 

 (025x103=64375. 965x25=24125). 



The male is unquestionably Emys trivittata, D. et B. ; but the 

 female seems hithero unknown to Europeans. The male is not 

 only strikingly beautiful when alive, but, as above shown, differs 

 materially from the female, which is considerably the larger of the 

 two. The male (from its smaller size perhaps) is somewhat fre- 

 quently trapped in the baskets set for fish, as before noticed ; but 

 live specimens are very difficult to procure, as the Talain fishermen 

 have an invincible prejudice against selling them — that is, to a Euro- 

 pean, who will kill them, — though they will readily enough dispose 

 of them to a brother Buddhist, to liberate as a work of merit. I 

 have been refused myself, and have waited and seen the animal 

 sold to a Birman for one-fourth of the sum I had pi'offered in vain. 

 Of course this was annoying ; but it is most unjust to resent what 

 is really a most creditable trait in the seller's character. The 

 Turtle so sold is taken down to the water's edge and ceremoniously 

 requested to once more betake himself to the river, liis back 

 being pcrliaps first ornamented witli a few shoots of gold leaf as a 

 mark of respect, and to augment the merit of the benevolent 

 action, which, done in obedience to the behest of Buddha, will 

 ensure a commensurate reward for the doer in another state of 



