OCR Text |
Show 1899.] REPTILES O F T H E M A L A Y P E N I N S U L A A N D SIAM. 613 platynota '; was certainly an incorrect determination, as is evident from his description." However, on comparing Cantor's description with living specimens of G. platynota (subsequently identified as such by Mr. Boulenger), I have no doubt he refers to this species, and the description appears good. Varieties. There appear to be two fairly distinct varieties occurring in the same localities, differing in the number of vertebral shields (5 and 6 respectively), in the general shape of the carapace, and in the colour of the head. Habits. W h e n alarmed the Flat-back hisses after the manner of tortoises, and in common with some other species, but to a greater extent, it has the very objectionable habit of voiding excrement time after time when it is picked up or handled ; however when, after some weeks, it gets used to being handled it ceases to do so. In captivity it spends all its time by preference in shallow water; it feeds most voraciously on almost any vegetable, but prefers fruit, of which it will get through a large quantity in a day. It is curious to see with how much energy two or three of these tortoises will fight over a piece of banaua. Out of about fourteen species of tortoises which I have kept as pets, these Flat-backs, although the least ornamental to look at owing to their nearly uniform muddy-brown colour, are the most active and intelligent; they quickly get tame and learn to run up to one and even follow for some little way if rewarded by a piece of fruit, they will climb out of boxes and baskets which other tortoises never find their way out of, and I have seen two of them attack a big water-snake (Acrochordus javanicus). The battered condition which their shells sometimes are in may perhaps be accounted for by their enterprising nature. Cantor's experience of his platynota differs from mine, as he says : " It lived in m y garden at Penang upwards of a twelvemonth, apparently without food, and it was never observed to enter a tank." But Dr. Hanitsch, w*ho has a collection of live tortoises at Singapore, has remarked the tameness and voracity of this species \ Size. The largest specimen I have measured, a male from Johore, is in length of carapace, following the curve, 280 m m. Hab. Mergui, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. 9. CYCLEMYS DHOR (Gray). Cyclemys oldhamii, Giinth. Rept. Brit. Ind. p. 15, pl. v. fig. B. Cyclemys dhor, Blgr. Cat. Chel. etc. p. 131. The British Museum Catalogue mentions two specimens from the Laos Mountains, collected by M . Mouhot. I can find no direct evidence of its occurrence in the Malay Peninsula (vide P. Z. S. 1896, p. 859). Hab. Northern India, Burma, Siam, Cambodia, Malay Peninsula, Java, Borneo, and Mentawei Islands (Sipora). 1 A specimen of C. platynota in the Ghizeh Zoological Gardens repeatedly climbs out of an enclosure where five other species of tortoises are kept and remain ; the side is of vertical " rabbit-wire" netting three feet high.-25.3.99, PROC. ZOOL. Soc-1899, No. XL. 40 |