Rana Boylii 



peculiar, in that they are little elevated at their upper margins, 

 and so face upward more nearly than sideways. This is one 

 ot the many characteristics that adapt this frog to a thoroughly 

 aquatic existence. 



RANA BOYLII, BAIRD AND GIRARD 



IDENTIFICATION CHARACTERISTICS 



Colour: Dull olive or greyish brown; sometimes brick-red. 

 Upper surface may be obscurely spotted with dark. Upper 

 jaw spotted irregularly. Iris metallic yellow. Legs and arms 

 barred with dark. Underparts white, mottled anteriorly, and 

 bright yellow posteriorly. Much yellow around the arm inser- 

 tion. Webs yellow (See Colour Plate II.) 



Measurements: Size small, i. e. length i^ to 2\ inches. Head 

 short and broad. (Fig. 265.) Legs very long; length to heel 

 equals the total length of the frog, and sometimes exceeds it. 

 (Fig. 265.) Tibia longer than femur. 



Structure: Skin thick and coarse; unusually warty over 

 all upper parts. (Fig. 264.) Underparts smooth; buttocks 

 granular. Lateral folds broad, not elevated, very inconspicuous. 

 Muzzle projects beyond lower lip. Nostrils small. Ear round, 

 smaller than eye, indistinct because covered with fine warts, as 

 is the surrounding skin. (Fig. 264.) The fold extending over 

 the ear from eye to shoulder is indistinct. Canthus rostralis 

 prominent. Space between the eyes greater than the width 

 of the eyelid. Arms well developed; fingers long, with small 

 tubercles under the joints. Foot with broad webs extending 

 quite to the expanded tips of the toes. Inner sole tubercle 

 medium in size; outer tubercle small. (Fig. 266.) 



Range: Rana boylii Baird and Girard, is reported from 

 California and Oregon. 1 



Rana boylii, which, in California, is called the Yellow-legged 

 Frog, has perhaps the most toad-like appearance of any frog 

 of North America, although it does not sit erect in toad fashion. 

 (Fig. 265.) The likeness lies in the texture of the skin. The 



1 Eldorado County, Ashland, Ore Shasta County; Mill Valley, Maria County, Cal. 



221 



