OCR Text |
Show 568 M. G. A. BOULENGER ON THE [Nov. 16, two thirds or four fifths of that between one of them and the lip. The eyes are nearer to the angles of the jaws than they are to the tip of the snout. The interorbital space is flat and very broad, especially in females ; in these its least breadth is m u c h more than the upper eyelid's greatest breadth ; it nearly equals it in males. The tympanum is more distinct than in any other species of Bufo, rounded and quite close to the eye ; its diameter equals the greatest orbital diameter, or nearly so. The cleft of the mouth does not quite extend to the level of the centre of the tympanum. The tongue is elliptical and about twice as long as broad. In preserved specimens the parotoids are quite invisible; but, as Dr. Gunther has observed, the skin of the regions where they ought to be found is much thicker; it is therefore most probable that during life flat parotoids are conspicuous. The body is thrice as long as the head in females, shorter in males and young. The fore limb is always shorter than the body ; it is rather thicker in males than in females. The fingers are moderately elongate, with blunt tips and simple subarticular tubercles, which, however, have a tendency to bipartition ; the first is a little longer than the second, which is a little shorter than the fourth. A large flat oval tubercle occupies the middle of the hand, another smaller one the base of the thumb. The hind limb is moderately elongate; being carried forwards along the body, the metatarsal tubercles reach the ej*e in males, the tympanum in females and young. The tibia is m u c h longer than the head, and deprived of a parotoid-like gland. A very distinct cutaneous fold extends along the two thirds of the inner edge of the tarsus. The metatarsal tubercles are oval, the inner one more prominent. The toes are moderately elongate ; the web extends to near their tips, but is deeply emarginate; the subarticular tubercles are simple. The body is covered above with irregular, flat, distinctly porous warts which do not exhibit any trace of spines; larger warts form a sort of chain along the sides. The lower surfaces are granular; the granules are scarcely larger beneath the thighs; they are larger on the male's throat. The upper parts are olive, with a few dark black-circled spots; a blackish vitta, beginning behind the eye, extends on the sides of the bodjr. The hind limbs are transversely barred with blackish. The lower surfaces are more or less vermiculated with blackish ; the thighs are often blackish beneath. The young very often exhibit a light rhomboidal spot on the scapular region. The males are furnished with a little-developed subgular vocal sac, the opening of which is double. The throat is blackish. Blackish rugosities occupy the inner surface of the first three fingers during the breeding-season. Geographical Distribution.-This species has only been found in South Africa. It is rare in collections. |