( 34 ) 



D. coriacea, L. 



Colour above (alive) dark neutral tint, irregularly ornamented 

 ■with white splashes as of whitewash. Ridges whitish. Below 

 and beneath paddles, pale flesh colour, blotched with pale black- 

 ish neutral, which in the sternum takes the form of three longi- 

 tudinal bands on each side of the mesial suture. Fore-paddle 39 

 inches. Hind-paddle 26. Head 12. Shell 66 inches over curve. 

 Eggs spherical, 1'6, vide Tickell's Paper. J. A. S., Vol. XXXI, 

 p. 367 with plate. Captured on the Tenasserim Coast of the Bay 

 of Bengal, where it is rare. Bell says this species eats mollusca, 

 fish, Crustacea, as well as algae. Tickell does not say he examined 

 the stomach but inclines to the idea of its food, being vegetable 

 which idea Gunther has apparently followed. I have preferred 

 Bell's more precise observation to the contrary. Grows to 800 lbs. 

 weight. 



Very much yet remains to be done before our knowledge of the 

 distribution of the Indian representatives of this Order of Reptiles 

 can be considered as complete. At present great doubt exists as to 

 the precise range of even the commoner species, and it is earnestly 

 hoped that friends favorably situated, especially in Southern 

 India, will give particular attention to the genera Batagur and 

 Trionyx. When practicable, a good series of all ages of each 

 species found in the district, of both these genera should be pro- 

 cured ; and judging from the number of species of Trionyx met 

 ■with east of the Bay of Bengal, several new species may, I 

 think, be confidently anticipated to occur in India, Proper, 

 though from the difficulty of procuring these creatures, and their 

 somewhat uninviting appearance to the superficial observer, they 

 have hitherto enjoyed the advantages of inglorious neglect. Let 

 us hope this will now cease, and that the hard-shelled Batagar, 

 and the tender and wily Trionyx, will be in brisk request with 

 local collectors. 



