170 CHELONIA. 



Hydraspis leithi (Carter 1 ). 



Syn. Testudo leithi, Carter 2 . Platemys leithi, Lydekker 4 . 



Hydraspis leithi, Gray 3 . 



Imperfectly known, but apparently nearly allied to existing 

 forms. In the type specimen, which is of comparatively small size, 

 the last five neural bones are shown ; the omission of a nuchal 

 shield in the restoration of the anterior border of the carapace is 

 probably incorrect. 



The type specimen was obtained from the intertrappean Eocene 

 beds of Bombay 5 . 



Bab. India (Bombay and Central Provinces). 



R. 1728. Cast of an imperfect right epiplastral probably belonging 

 to this species. The original, which is preserved in the 

 Museum of the Geological Society, was obtained from the 

 intertrappean Eocene beds near Nagpur, Central Pro- 

 vinces, by the late Rev. S. Hislop. It shows one half of 

 the area occupied by the intergular shield, and the whole 

 of that covered by the right gular. Besides its larger 

 dimensions (which somewhat exceed those of average- 

 sized examples of the existing H. hilarii), this specimen 

 differs from the type shell figured by Carter by the 

 relatively larger gulars and narrower intergular; but 

 since specimens of H. hilarii show similar variations this 

 cannot be regarded as a specific character. The specimen 

 will be figured by the writer in the ' Rec. Geol. Surv. 

 Ind.' for 1890. Made in the Museum, 1889. 



Family PELOMEDUSLCME. 



Shell frequently thick, with mesoplastrals and a reduced number 

 of neurals and suprapygals ; both pubis and ischium uniting with 

 xiphiplastral. No inframarginal shields. Skull (fig. 40) with 

 quadratojugal, and either open or roofed (Podocnemis) temporal 

 fossae, and no parieto-squamosal arch ; prefrontals in contact, and 

 fused with nasals ; vomer absent in recent forms ; interdentary 

 suture obliterated. 2nd cervical vertebra amphicoelous. Number 

 of phalangeals reduced in some forms. Coracoid narrow throughout. 

 Caudal vertebras as in preceding family. 



1 Journ. Bombay As. Soc. vol. iv. p. 186 (1852). — Tcstudo. 



2 Loc. cit. This name preoccupies T. leithi, Gunther, 1800. 



3 Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 4, vol. viii. p. 339 (1871). 



4 Rec. Geol. Surv. Ind. vol. xx. p. 66 (1887). 



■ 5 See Medlicotl and Blanford, Manual of Geology of India, p. 321 (1879). 



