CHELONIA. 721 



C. tricarinata, Blyth., and in a female of the same species from Chota Nagpur, and 

 it is distinctly visible in tlie alcoholic female type of Chaibassia theobaldi, but no trace 

 of it is visible in the male example in alcohol. Had this character been persistent 

 in both sexes of C. theobaldi, I should not have had any hesitation in regarding 

 Chaibassia as a distinct generic form, occupying a position intermediate between 

 the box tortoises and the Emydes. It is an Emyde in all its other features, except 

 its feet, which beiag unwebbed, and the hind foot rather club-shaped indicate an 

 affinity towards the land tortoises, with which, however, it has no alliance by its 

 skull, nor by its cloacal bladders, nor indeed by the characters of its visceral cavity 

 and soft parts, which are also those of an Emyde. It must therefore remain 

 with the Emydes, but it is entitled among them to generic rank on account of its 

 divers affinities. 



It is interesting to observe that C. theobaldi in its shell and in the type of its 

 colouring considerably resembles Cuora. It is also worthy of remark that although 

 the transverse suture between the hyo- and hyposternal pieces is not mobile, it 

 is yet very prominently seen through the epidermic plates. 



4- Geoemtda DEPE.ESSA, Andr. Plates LV, LVI, and LXXV B, figs. 1 to 5. 



Geoemyda depressa, Andr., Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 4th ser., vol. xvi, Oct. 1875, p. 284. 

 Geoemyda arakana, Theobald, Descr. Cat. Kept., Brit. Ind., 1876, p. 7. 



Shell elongated, much depressed, the depression increasing from before back- 

 wards, the shell being somewhat expanded across the inguiaal region ; vertebral 

 region (2 and 3) nearly flat. Anterior border broad and sHghtly concave ; posterior 

 border, behind inguinal area, expanded, and with a strongly serrated margin ; 

 vertebrals with a low ridge in adults. Interval between the fij-st costal and anterior 

 marginals concave, also the interval between the fourth costal and its marginals 

 which are reverted. The sides of the middle of the shell, (second and third 

 costals,) considerably convex ; anal notch moderately deep ; nuchal and gulars well 

 developed ; anterior border transverse. 



SheU above light brown, with a blackish tinge on the external border of the 

 maro-inals. Sternum rather clear yeUow, the interval between the axillary and 

 ino-uinal notches deep black ; the outer halves of the pectoral and anal plates being 

 blackish-brown, with a partial reticulation extending across the plates ; the gulars, 

 postgulars, and anals have also a tendency to be coarsely and irregularly reticulated 

 with the same colour. 



Head of animal rather small ; upper and lower jaws deep, and area below the 

 nostrils slightly convex. Limbs large, especially the hind legs ; claws strong and 

 webs not well developed. The anterior aspect of the lower part of the fore leg 

 covered with large imbricate scales, and smaller scales on the dorsum of the foot, a 

 large scale being at the base of each claw. Hind limb covered with small scales, 

 but with a Hue of enlarged scales along its posterior margin. Tail moderately long 

 and covered with rounded scales. The neck-skin loose and covered with minute 



