116 EMYS CUMBERLANDENSIS. 



marginal plates; the intermediate, or nuchal, is an oblong square, a little rounded 

 and projecting anteriorly; the first marginal is pentagonal, dentatcd in front, its 

 external point most prominent, reaching beyond the second; these three plates 

 give the notched appearance to the anterior margm of the shell; the second 

 marginal is quadrilateral, and broadest in front; the remaining plates are all 

 quadrilateral; the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh regularly so, with their external 

 margins slightly revolute; the eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth are all 

 notched in the centre of their outer borders; the eighth least, and the twelfth 

 most deeply; these notches, as well as the projection of the posterior and external 

 angle of each plate, give the beautiful serrated margin already mentioned. The 

 marginal plates are slightly marked near their upper border with two or three 

 concentric lines; all these lines on the margmal, as well as on the vertebral and 

 lateral plates, disappear with age, and the shell becomes perfectly smooth. 



The sternum is large, full, entire, and rounded in front, and truncated behind; 

 the gular plates are regularly triangular, with their bases before and their apices 

 behind; at their anterior and external angles is a remarkable tooth or process, 

 extending forwards and upwards; the brachial plates are also triangular, with 

 their bases outwards, and their apices inwards and truncated; the thoracic are 

 oblong-quadrilateral, and the abdominal pentagonal and broad; the femoral plates 

 are irregularly quadrilateral, rounded and large without, narrow and straight 

 within; the sub-caudal are triangular, with rounded bases directed posteriorly; the 

 supplemental plates are two in number on each side; the axillary is triangular and 

 large, with its basis forwards; the inguinal is also large, oblong, round behind and 

 before. 



The head is of moderate size; the snout short and rather pointed; the nostrils 

 are anterior and closely approximated; the upper jaw has a thin cutting border, 

 slightly emarginate in front, and the lower is furnished w'ith a small hook; the 

 eyes are bright; the pupil black; the iris pale golden, -with a black spot before and 

 behind the pupil; the neck is rather long and slender. 



