l6o ANURA CHAP. 



had reached their greatest length, 76 mm., the hind-limbs being 

 18 mm. long, whilst the fore-legs were just indicated. On the 

 21st of May the hind-limbs were. 27 mm. long, and the whole 

 creature was practically metamorphosed, except for the tail. The 

 latter was resorbed on the 13th of July, and the little toads, 

 25 mm. in length, were actually smaller, certainly far less bulky 

 and heavy, than the tadpoles, which had required one year and 

 a quarter for their metamorphosis. 



The early broods probably finish their development by the 

 autumn of the same year, but those which are born later, in 

 July and August, certainly hibernate in the water. I have 

 found very small tadpoles, scarcely 1 5 mm. long, on the Cantabrian 

 mountains as late as the end of September, and rather large 

 ones in the spring at the time of first pairing ; the fact that 

 this takes place during the whole summer explains the occurrence 

 of tadpoles in all stages of development almost the whole year 

 round. 



A. cisternasi has only two palmar tubercles, the middle or 

 third one of A. obstetricans being absent ; the outer finger is short 

 and thick. Instead of a very long and wide fronto-parietal 

 fontanelle, the fronto-parietal bones diverge only in front so that 

 there are two fontanelles, a small one in the parietal and a 

 large triangular one in the frontal region. The limbs are 

 relatively shorter and stouter in conformity with the habits 

 of this species, which prefers to burrow in sandy localities. 

 Otherwise it leads the same kind of life as A. obstetricans, and 

 the male carries the eggs. It has hitherto been found in Central 

 Spain and in the middle provinces of Portugal. 



Liopelma is intermediate between Alytes and Bombinator, 

 agreeing with the latter, in conformity with its essentially 

 aquatic life, in the absence of a tympanum, while the Eustachian 

 tubes are entirely suppressed. The tongue is disc-shaped, but 

 is slightly free behind. The pupil is triangular. The male is 

 devoid of a vocal sac. L. hochstetteri is the sole representative 

 of the Amphibia in New Zealand, where it is apparently rare. 

 The upper parts are covered with smooth tubercles, and are dark 

 brown with blackish spots ; the under parts are whitish. Total 

 length only 1|- inch. 



Fam. 2. Pelobatidae. The upper jaw and, as a rule, the 

 vomers are provided with teeth. The tongue is oval, slightly 



