PELOBATIDAE 165 



8. solitarius is the commonest species of the Southern States. 

 It is brown above, with darker patches ; its total length is about 

 2 inches. According to Holbrook it excavates small holes half a 

 foot deep, in which it resides, seizing upon such unwary insects 

 as may enter its dwelling. It never leaves the hole except in 

 the evening or after long - continued rains. It appears early in 

 March, and soon pairs ; as an instance of hardiness Holbrook 

 mentions that he has met it whilst there was still snow on the 

 ground. When teased they assume a humble attitude, bending 

 the head downwards with their eyes shut, as illustrated by 

 Boulenger. 1 



Pelodytes is, like the rest of the genera, devoid of the tarsal 

 digging spur. The tympanic disc is rather indistinct ; the 

 male has a subgular sac. The general appearance of the slender 

 body with long hind-limbs and toes is frog-like. Two species 

 only are known, one in South -Western Europe, the other in the 

 Caucasus. 



P. punctatus. The " Mud-diver " has the upper parts covered 

 with small warts, .and is about 1^- inch in length. Its 

 coloration is variable, and changes much. One day it may 

 appear greenish brown, the next day pale grey ; in the daytime 

 perhaps with many bright green spots, and in the evening spot- 

 less and unicoloured. The under parts are mostly white, some- 

 times with a fleshy tinge. The male has a voice like " kerr-kerr " 

 or " creek-creek," uttered during the breeding season, which lasts 

 from the end of February until May, according to the temperature 

 and the more Southern or Northern locality. Occasionally they 

 breed a second time in the summer or autumn. The male 

 develops nuptial excrescences, chiefly three rough patches on the 

 inner side of the fore-limbs or on the inner side of the first two 

 fingers, while the belly and thighs are covered with small 

 granules. In the mode of copulation, the laying of the small 

 and numerous eggs, the hatching of the larvae in a tail- and gill- 

 less condition, this genus closely resembles Pelobates ; but the 

 tadpoles never reach a colossal size, the usual length being 2 

 inches, and even this is comparatively large for so small a species. 

 It inhabits the greater part of France, most of Portugal, and the 

 southern half of Spain, avoiding, however, the central plateaux 

 and the mountain-ranges. Its habits are essentially nocturnal, 

 1 P.Z.S. 1899, p. 790. 



