Bufo Boreas 



Much study needs to be done on the California toads. One 

 of the puzzling points concerning Bufo balophilus is the marked 

 difference between living specimens from southern California 

 (San Diego) and those from the type locality (near San Francisco). 

 The same discrepancy is observable in the specimens of the 

 National Museum. The Southern toads have a rougher skin, a 

 more extended muzzle, a smaller ear as well as parotoid, a larger 

 and more extended inner sole tubercle, and a proportion of head 

 and body one to four and a half instead of one to four. A study 

 of the life history and habits of this Southern toad would settle 

 at once the question of its relation to the Northern Bufo halo- 

 plilus. (See Figs. 127 to 130 and compare with Figs. 121 to 126.) 



BUFO BOREAS, BAIRD AND GIRARD 



IDENTIFICATION CHARACTERISTICS 



Colour: Variable; dull or warm browns, greys or greens. 

 There is a wide vertebral streak, also a conspicuous patch of light 

 colour under the eye, passing obliquely to the jaw. (Fig. 133.) 

 Touches of light or bright colour may be found in the following 

 places: on the parotoids and warts, on the sides of the toad, at 

 the angles of the jaw, and on the forearm and tibia. This light 

 colour varies with the background; it may be orange (or reddish), 

 greenish, white, or yellow. Eye bright orange-yellow. There 

 may be a light band from parotoid backward. Underparts 

 closely spotted, with black everywhere, even on throat and under- 

 surfaces of arms and legs. (Fig. 131.) Tubercles of feet black. 

 Fingers and toes tipped with black or red-brown. 



Measurements: Size large, i. e. length 2\ to 5 inches. Head 

 short, its length contained about four times in the total length. 

 Space between the eyes greater than width of eyelid. Head rela- 

 tively long in front of eyes. Arms long; forearm conspicuously 

 longer than the hand. (Fig. 132.) Length of leg to heel equals 

 length of body forward to parotoid or eye. Tibia not greatly 

 longer than femur. 



Structure: Skin very warty, and tubercular between the warts. 

 Warts relatively large, round, often set in short rows running 

 lengthwise along the back. (Fig. 133.) Large, light-coloured 

 warts at the angle of the jaw. No head crests. (Fig. 132.) Top 



