OCR Text |
Show 194 DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE TORTOISES. [Mar. 11, plates regular. Toes strong, covered with band-like shields, united, to the claws, by a very narrow web covered with scales; hind toes longest. Asiatic. The skull and palate similar to those of Malaclemmys, but the ieet, shell, and head different. 1. DAMONIA MACROCEPHALA. Geoclemmys macrocephala, Gray, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 479, t. xxi., 1861, p. 139. Emys trijuga, Mus. Utrecht. Hab. Siam and Cambogia. The skull (as seen through the skin in the stuffed specimen) has a very broad, strong, rather convex zygomatic arch between the orbit and the ear-cavity; crown broad, flat, trigonal, broader and truncated behind. Skeleton in the British Museum. Skull large; nose rather produced, conical; crown flat, rhombic, short; orbit lateral, very large ; zygomatic arch very broad, short; palate slightly concave ; internal nostrils near the middle of the palate ; alveolar surface of the upper jaw rather arched, very convex. The lower jaw curved upwards and acute at the tip, with a very broad, rather concave alveolar surface the whole of the length, broader and most concave in front. There is a second skeleton, of a small specimen, of this species, which, from the bad state of the shell, must have been kept in confinement for a long time. 2. DAMONIA REEVESII. Emys reevesii, Gray, Syn. Rept. 73. Geoclemys reevesii, Gray, Cat. Shield Rept. p. 18. Skull (as seen through the skin in the stuffed specimen) small, ovate trigonal ; crown rhomboid, rather convex, produced in the centre behind, about as long from the back edge of the orbit as from the nose to that part of the skull; orbit rather large, lateral; zygomatic arch short, broad, wider than the back of the orbit, and confluent with the crown above, not quite so wide as the front edge of the tympanic cavity behind. Sheath of the upper jaw simple, without any central hook. Lower jaw strong, convex in front, and with a convex horny sheath. Toes enclosed in the skin nearly to the claws, covered above with band-like shields. An adult specimen in spirit, obtained from Mr. Blyth, most probably from India, but received without any habitat. Head large, strong; crown flat and short, not so long as wide ; nose high, rather shelving to the mouth ; eyes lateral; cheek flat; temple and zygomatic process convex. Upper beak very large and thick, with a straight edge without any central notch ; the lower curved and acute in front, convex beneath. The alveolar processes very broad ; upper rather convex aud rugose ; lower rather concave and broad the whole length of the side of the jaw. Neck and feet lead-coloured, without any streak. The thorax solid, thick, oblong, with three very ob- |