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Show 1871.] DR. J. ANDERSON ON INDIAN REPTILES. 199 M- gtgas, as is proved by comparing it with Blyth's description. It agrees in every particular with Giinther's description. Blyth observes that the young have the head proportionally less broad than m the adult, which is well illustrated by his specimens. Hab. Sikkim Himalaya. RANA CRASSA, Jerdon, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, 1853, xxii. p. 531; Theobald, Cat. Rept. As. Soc. Museum, p. 79. This species, as observed by Theobald, is closely allied to R. tigrina, from which it is distinguished by its more obtuse and shorter snout and conspicuously broader occiput. Its metatarsal tubercle is proportionally larger, stronger, and more crescentic than in R. tigrina, resembling the shovel-shaped tubercle oi Pyxicephalus. Dr. Jerdon regards it as allied to R. kuhlii,-a comparison which would seem to indicate that he had never identified R. kuhlii ; for R. crassa has the naked tympanum of R. tigrina, wants the fang-like apophyses of R. kuhlii, and has the strongly developed vomerine ridges of the former species. Snout rather short, and not so pointed as in R. tigrina. Occiput broad, the breadth across the gape being longer than the head. Loreal region concave, shelving outwards. Nostrils oval, nearer the snout than halfway between the snout and the eye. Tympanum distinct, smaller than the eye. Eustachian tubes large, larger than the choanae. Vomerines 12 to 15, on two oblique prominent ridges from the anterior inner angle of the choanae, converging behind, but separated by a moderate interval. Tongue of moderate size, cordate. No fang-like apophyses on the lower jaw. Back with short longitudinal folds; a few tubercles on the sacral region. A fold from the eye over the tympanum to the shoulder; a fold between the eyelids, and a very rudimentary one along the inside of the tarsus, and a fringe along the fifth toe. Hind limbs stout, rather short, the distance between the vent and the metatarsal tubercle being the length of the body or a little less. Toes fully webbed, the membrane hardly reaching to the extremity of the fourth toe. A prominent crescentic sharp-edged tubercle at the base of the first toe. Fingers and toes with the same proportional length as in R. tigrina. Brown above (spirit specimens), spotted with darker in the same way as in R. tigrina. Under surface yellowish, obscurely spotted on the chin and throat; a narrow brown longitudinal streak on the same region in youngish males. Lips barred with blackish ; vocal sacs of males dusky externally. One out of four with a vertebral band. Hind limb, to meta- Body. tarsal tubercle. Length of large female 5" 2'" 5" 1"' „ „ ' male 3 9 4 0 female 3 7 3 7 Dr. Jerdon describes the body as greenish above, with dusky markings, and states that the Frog was rare-found in a few tanks in the Carnatic. The specimens of this notice are from Ceylon. |