1853.] Notices and Descriptions of various Beptiles. 645 



mounted in our museum. The adults have much the appearance of 

 Tetraonyx Lessonii, D. and B., but are readily distinguished by 

 having five instead of four claws to the fore-feet. T. Lessonii 

 abounds at the mouth of the Hugly, and great numbers are brought 

 to Calcutta, where they are eaten by particular castes of Hindus, 

 and are even kept for sale in tanks. Though the water-Tortoises 

 generally are much used as food, the species chiefly consumed, or at 

 least which are brought in greatest quantity for that purpose, are 

 Tetraonyx Lessonii and Emtda punctata. The latter appears 

 to be the most generally diffused species of Tortoise throughout the 

 whole of India and Ceylon, and is very abundant in Lower Bengal, 

 burrowing deep into the beds of tanks when the water dries up. A 

 large one which escaped into the Society's compound was found 

 several months afterwards in a healthy state, buried among the 

 roots of some guinea-grass. 



A small and evidently young Emys from Arakan or Tenasserim 

 would seem to be 



E. ocellata, Dumeril and Bibron. The colouring agrees with 

 the description : the details of structure less completely. Length 

 of carapax 6 in. (measured straight). It is affined to E. thurgii; 

 and, as compared with a specimen of E. thurgii of the same size, 

 it is at onee distinguished by having the whole under surface of the 

 shell spotless yellowish- white, and each lateral or discoidal plate of 

 the carapax is marked in the centre with a large round reddish-brown 

 spot, surrounded by a pale areola ; an interrupted black line along 

 the spinal ridge, which is raised into keels on the first four verte- 

 bral plates. These are of equal breadth, whereas in E. thurgii 

 the first is much narrower than the others. Nuchal plate twice as 

 long as broad, and throughout equal ; whereas in E. thurgii it is 

 triangular with posterior base. Hindmost vertebral plate much 

 narrower than in E. thurgii ; and the posterior marginals and 

 especially the caudals are much smaller than in that species. Colour 

 of the upper parts greenish olive-brown, with the ocelli before men- 

 tioned, which probably become obscured with age. Head brown 

 above, with yellow superciliary line meeting its opposite over the 

 nostrils, and another proceeding backward from the eye. Limbs 

 and under parts apparently yellowish without markings. 



4o2 



