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Show 204 MR. G. A. BOULENGER ON THE [Mar. 20, spots on the feathers of the upper surface rufous-buff instead of whitish yellow. Total length. in. N. mandibularis \ , . , „ n ( 8 imm.. . 18-0 Culmen. in. 2-9 2-10 3-5 3-6 Wing. in. 9-9 9-7 11-5 12-6 Tail. in. 37 3-6 4-1 4-8 Tarsus in. 33 3-1 33 3-8 66. STERNA LONGIPENNIS. Sterna longipennis, Nordm.; Salvad. t. c. iii. p. 439. a. 8 ad. Rubiana; 4.3.87- Bill black; legs black; feet black. Food, fish. March 20, 1888. Henry Seebohm, Esq., F.Z.S., in the Chair. The following papers were read :- 1. Note on the Classification of the Ranidce. By G. A. BOULENGER. [Received February 10, 1888.] When revising the arrangement of the tailless Batrachians for second edition of the British Museum Catalogue (1882), I had very great difficulty in dealing with the subdivision of the large family Ranidce. I had to abandon the Platy- and Oxydactyle character as a generic one, finding that, to say nothing of the complete inter-gradation which destroys its usefulness as an artificial character, it did not, by itself, express affinity, and that in consequence satisfactory series could not be formed upon the degree of dilatation or acumination of tbe digits. As an instance, I may refer to Ranee malabarica, galamensis, macrodactyla, and lateralis, which unquestionably very intimately related to such forms as constitute the platydactyle group Hylorana of certain authors (R. erythrcea, temporalis, chalconota, 4c), and yet are more ' oxydactyle' than Ranee macrodon, kuhlii, and many others which have by all authors, and very justly, been regarded as true Ranee. I cannot see that the union of all these species, however numerous, under one genus, Rana, presents any serious inconvenience. On the contrary, the systematist should form well-defined genera, regardless of the |
