Bufo Valliceps 



(Figs. 1 13 and 115.) No large warts. The light-coloured tuber- 

 cles behind the angle of the jaw and in a row along the lower 

 margin of the light lateral band are somewhat longer than the 

 others. (Fig. 114.) Head rounded, acute in front. (Fig. 113.) 

 Jaws hard and bony. Upper jaw deeply indented in midline. 

 An elevated bony ridge usually parallel to the upper jaw extends 

 from in front of the eye to the angle of the jaw. Ear conspicuous 

 because of its smoothness; half to two-thirds size of eye. (Fig. 

 112.) The many bony ridges of the head are much elevated, 

 thin, and sharp-edged, except the short one extending over the 

 ear backward to the parotoid. The head ridges are as follows: 

 A short median one from jaw to nostrils; two starting at the 

 upper end of this diverge backward to a point just behind the 

 eyes, there converging slightly to points just within the anterior 

 ends of the prominences made by the scapulars; one each side 

 connecting at obtuse angles with the long ridges of the top of 

 the head and lying close behind the eye; a shorter, thicker ridge 

 between this ridge and the parotoid of each side. There are also 

 short ridges in front of the eye and between the eye and the ear. 

 (See Fig. 1 14.) The parotoids are short, and may be oval or 

 triangular in shape. The nostrils open upward, are close 

 together and are placed nearer to the jaw than to the eye. The 

 shoulder-blades are two curved prominences between the paro- 

 toids. (Fig. 114.) Hand small; one large and one small palm 

 tubercle. (Fig. 113.) Foot small ; inner and outer tubercles bo-th 

 present, but insignificant; webs short. (Fig. 115.) 



Range: Bufo valliceps Wiegm is a Mexican toad found com- 

 monly in Texas. It is reported also from Louisiana. 



Bufo valliceps is unusual among North American batrachia 

 in the appearance of its head. The head is broad and shallow, 

 and except for the bright eyes, seems wholly made up of high bony 

 crests separating variously shaped bony concavities. 



This toad is variable in colour and has much power to change 

 colour. It may be black with touches of rich orange and yellow- 

 brown, so that it looks like a piece of burned wood. With such 

 colouring, the underparts may be as dark as the upper surface. 

 Such colouration may change within half an hour to delicate fawn- 

 colour or dove-grey, with the light bands and spots cream white. 



109 



