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Show 900 MR. S. S. FLOWER ON THE REPTILES AND [Dec. 1, before, I can find no constant characters to separate the two varieties, the following points should be noticed :- (i.) Breadth of interorbital space compared to the distance between the nostrils. (ii.) General form of the snout. (iii.) Shape and prominence of the tympanic fold. (iv.) Shape of the tympanum. (v.) Amount of emargination in the webbing of the hind toes. Localities. Of the Penang variety 1 collected seven specimens in small ponds on Penang Hill, at elevations of from 2000' to 2200', in March 1896. They are active frogs and good swimmers, and locally called " Koldok-ayer " (Malay). There is in the British Museum a specimen from Mr. Wray, from the hills of Larut, Perak, at an elevation of between 3000' and 4000', which agrees with the Penang variety in the more pointed snout, in the distance between the nostrils being greater than the interorbital space, in the skin having longitudinal glandular folds, and in the webbing of the hind feet, but the tympauic fold is angular. Of the Singapore variety I collected eight specimens from the following places in the island-Passir Panjang, Botanical Gardens, and Bukit Timah, at elevations of less than 400 ft., in January and April 1896. Four large specimens from Dr. Dennys, one from the Raffles Museum, and three young specimens from Mr. Ridley, all from Singapore, and now in the British Museum, agree with my specimens of corresponding sizes, and are distinctly of this variety, the full-grown ones showing well the characteristic broad head and angular prominent tympanic fold. There are several large specimens of this variety in the Raffles Museum, Singapore; one (in spirit) has a Dryophis prasinus in its mouth. This Frog seems common but local in Singapore island, and is known as the " red frog " or " Koldok-merah " (Malay) : it is a very handsome animal from its athletic build, bright eye, and brilliant colour, which last, however, helps to conceal the frog when (as I have more than once found it) among large fallen leaves of the same bright red as itself. W h e n frightened, both the Penang and Singapore varieties take to the water, diving straight in and seeking concealment immediately at the bottom. Although, as far as we know, only the one variety inhabits Penang and the other Singapore, there are specimens of both in the British Museum from Java, and also from Borneo, where are also intermediate forms with the angular tympanic fold, but the distance between the nostrils greater than the interorbital space, and with fully-webbed hind feet. There is a specimen in the British Museum from Great Natuna Island, from Mr. Hose, which seems identical with the Singapore variety. Colour, from life. Specimens from Penang Hill.-Upper parts rich dark olive-brown or green, wdth or without a broad orange vertebral line. Cbiu white. Belly and lower side of limbs pale orange. |
