SUBORDER L ATHEC,E.

Vortebrm and ribs free, separated from a bony exoskeleton.

Family 1. SPIIARGIDZE.

Limbs paddle-shaped, clawless ; phalanges without condyles. Plastron reduced to an annular series of eight small bones. Exoskeleton consisting of numerous small bony plates arranged like mosaic. Pelagic.

Genus : Dermaioehelys (Sphargis).

Fossil genera : Psephophorus (Pliocene), Protosphargis (Cretaceous), Protostega (Cretaceous), Psephoderma? (Triassic).

The more important works on this order of Reptiles hare been enumerated in the article REPTILES, vol. xx. p. 440.

fSUBORDER II. TESTUDINATA. TORTOISE Dorsal vertebrae and ribs immovably united and expanded into bony plates forming a carapace, which is bordered by a complete series of marginal bones. Epiplastra (clavicles) in contact with Family 3. CARETTOCHELYDID/E. 457" Plastral bones nine. No epidermic scutes on the shell. Limbs paddle-shaped, with only two claws. New Guinea.

Genus: Carettochelys.

hyoplastra ; entoplastron (interclaviele), if present, oval, rhom- Family 4. 11110LANIID/E (Boulenger).

phalanges. Fossil genus : Miolania (Pleistocene). -