BATAQUK. 341 



Batagur, Gray. 



Thorax and sternum united into a solid case ; shell depressed ster- 

 num flat in both sexes ; pectorals sub-quadrangular ; toes broadly 

 webbed, 5 before, 4 behind. Habits, aquatic. Food, vegetable. 



Batagur dhongoka, B. Ham.; Gray, III. Ind. Zool. 11 tab.; id. 

 Shield, Reft. p. 36, tab. 18 and 36 ; Gunther, Eept. Br. Ind. p. 42 ; 

 Theob. Gat. Bep, Br. Ind. p. 22.— The Dhongoka. 



Nuchal plate triangular, broadest behind; vertebrals keeled, the 

 keel terminating on the second and third in a prominent knob ; first 

 and second vertebrals longer than broad, also the caudal plates. Gulars 

 as broad as long, the hind margins of the post-gulars form a straight 

 line. Anal quadrangular. Colour dark grey ; a yellow line from the 

 nostril to the tympanum. A black vertebral line and two lateral ones. 



Length. — 18 to 20 inches. 



Hub. — The Indus (Sind) the Ganges and Punjab rivers; also N. W. 

 Provinces at Futtehgur and Deccan in Bengal. Theobald gives Central 

 India, Assam and Nepaul. 



Batagur baska. Gray, 8h. Eept., p. 35, tab. 16 ; Gunth. Reft. Br. 

 Ind., p. 37, pi. iii., fig. B.B. ; Murr. Zool., 8fc. Sind, p. 255. Tetraonyx 

 baska, Buch. Ham. MSS. Gray, III. Ind. Zool.; Theob. Rept. Br. 

 Ind., p. 25 ; Bum. and Bib. Erpet. gen. ii., p. 341. — The Batagde. 



Toes four on all feet. Anterior half of shell elevated and convex, 

 posterior much depressed and flattened ; the greatest width behind its 

 middle; sternum truncated in front. Carapace smooth and polished. 

 Nuchal plate sub-quadrangular, four anterior vertebrals sub-quadran- 

 gular, nearly as broad as long ; the fifth hexagonal. Caudal plates 

 square, separated by a suture, without notch behind. Head covered 

 with undivided skin ; snout rather pointed ; nose turned upwards. 

 Upper jaw denticulated. Colour uniform brown. Grows from 20 to 

 24 inches. 



Hab. — The river Indus; Ganges, Irawaddy, Hooghly, Pegu and 

 Tenasserim. Considered wholesome food. 



Batagur thurgi, Gray, Sup. Cat. Sh. Rep. Br. Mus., p. 58; 

 Murr. Zool., Src, Sind, p. 255. Cachuga oldhami. Gray, Pro. Zoo. 8oc. 

 1869, p. 200. Hardellaindi, Swp. Cat. S. E., p. 58; Theob. Rep. Br. 

 Ind., p. 23. 



Nuchal plate triangular, broadish posteriorly, shell depressed, with 

 an interrupted median ridge. No costal ridge. Head covered with 

 undivided skin. Upper jaw strongly denticulated with a pair of tooth- 

 like prominences in front. Tail shorter than head. Feet broadly 

 webbed. Fore arm with transverse series of broad short imbricate scales. 

 Toes 5 before, 4 behind. Colour of shell more or less deep brown, or 

 black, the plates of the lower side edged with yellow. A broad yellow 

 band runs from the nostrils over the eyebrows along the side of the 

 neck ; a short yellow band anteriorly on each side of the upper jaw. 

 Feet olive, spotted with yellow. Attains to 22 inches. 



