CHELONIA. 767 



A few small yellowish tubercles on the upper surfaces of the toes of the fore 

 foot, with the exception of the first ; and a triangular scaly surface crossing the limb 

 from the outer margin of the elbow to the dorsum of the first toe ; the hinder margin 

 of the limb, having a row of six or seven large membranous plates. On the under 

 surface of the limb, a patch of medium-sized scales occurs in the fold of the ankle 

 joint, and smaller scales on the sole of the foot. A few enlarged scales on the 

 upper surface of the hind toes, and along the hinder margin of the limb, on 

 which they confer a serrated border. The tail is covered above with rather spiny 

 tubercles. 



Shell dark brown above, with an orange margin, a black vertebral line and 

 a dark spot over the areolae of the three first costals, sometimes a continuous line. 

 I Under surface yellow, each plate occupied with a dark brown centre, so that the 

 yellow is almost marginal. Head dark broTVTi. An orange band above the snout, 

 between the eyes and through the eyelid. A narrower orange-yellow band from 

 the posterior angle of the eye and over the tympanum on to the sides of the 

 neck, where it fades. A yelloAV band from the anterior angle of the eye forwards, 

 below the nostrils, to the opposite side, the band being separated from the one 

 above it by a narrow dark brown band passing through the nostrils. A yellow spot 

 below the eye. A yellow band from the exterior of the base of the symphysial 

 hook of the lower jaw along the ramus of the latter and below the tympanum, 

 to the sides of the neck. A dark band internal to this, the under surface of the 

 throat being mottled with dark brownish and yellowish. A very obscure yellowish 

 band from the anterior margin of the tympanum backwards. Limbs olive brownish 

 above, margined with yellowish. Claws dark brown. Tail with a yellow dorsal 

 line. In the adult, the bright colours are fainter than in the young. In some 

 males there is an orange line along the lower margins of the second, third and 

 fourth costals, and which I have not observed in the females. 



The leading characters by which this skull is separated from other Batagurs 

 are the absence of any upturning of the nose ; the deep notch on the alveolar 

 margins of the premaxillaries, external to which is a strong triangular serrated tooth- 

 like process ; the strong dentation of the alveolar border of the maxillary ; and still 

 stronger toothed character of the lower jaw, which has a large symphysial sharp tooth, 

 fitting in to the notch in the upper jaw and the absence of a coronoid. The internal 

 nares are broad, and shorter than in other Batagurs, but this character would be of no 

 sub-generic value were it not associated with a differently formed external wall. In 

 true JBatagurs, the palatine and pterygoid form an expanded surface at the posterior 

 angle of the maxillary palate, producing a well-defined external wall to the internal 

 nares by the sharp border of the palatine. The latter is pierced by the palatine 

 canal, on the same plane with the general surface of the palate, whereas, in B. thurgiy 

 there is no expanded pterygo-palatine surface, the pterygoid arching outwards and 

 anteriorly to the posterior angle of the maxillary palate, there being no ridge-like 

 border to the palatine, which is wholly concave and pierced in the outer wall of the 

 nares by its canal. 



