OCR Text |
Show REPTILES. extensively palmate, whilst in Borborocretes the hinder legs are much longer, and the t~es s~arcely at all webbed. The former structure indicates a greater power of sw1mmmg, and the latter of leaping. BORBOROCCETES BIBRONII. Milti. PLA.TE XVII. FIG. 1. Dentibus palatinis in jasciculis distantibus obliquis pone nares posteriores positis ; palmis bituberculatis. Habitat, Chiloe and Valdivia. DESCRIPTION.-Head depressed, the vertex slightly concave between the orbits; front (space included between two lines drawn from the anterior corner of the orbits to the point of the nose) triangular and distinct. Nostrils lateral. Eyes rather prominent. Tongue broad, ovate, acuminated in front, behind entire and rounded, the posterior half and the sides detached. Palatine teeth in two oval parcels, direct obliquely backwards and inwards, and situated at some distance behind the line of the posterior margin of the nares. Tympanum concealed. Body rather depressed and short. Skin smooth and without pores or glands, excepting on the posterior and inferior surface of the thighs, where there are some small granular elevations. Fore legs two-thirds the length of the head and body. The fore-arm rather larger than the upper arm. The fingers entirely separated, the third considerably the longest. A small tubercle under each joint, and two on the palm near the wrist. Length of the hinder legs to that of the head and body as 6 to 3, or rather more. Toes connected only at their base. A small tubercle under each joint, and a very depressed one at the base of the inner toe. CoLOUR of the upper parts fuscous, with a lateral fascia extending from the orbit nearly to the thigh, of a dark-brown colour, bordered with whitish; and another of an elongated triangular form on each ilium. Legs with transverse incomplete facile of the same colour. Under parts grey, with numerous brown dots. DIMENSIONS. In. Lines. Length of the body and bead . .. ... .. .. .. . .. .... . .. .. 5 of the anterior extremities . . .. .. . .. .. . .. . . .. 0 of the posterior extremities . . .. . .. . . . . . . .. 2 6 Taken at Valdivia and at Chiloe, in a thick forest, by Mr. Darwin. |