1855.] 427 



spot. Arms and legs barred or spotted with darker or dusky, thighs with one 

 or two darker spots, tibia a little varied in the same manner. Very much resem- 

 bles the preceding but the head is shorter and blunter, the body likewise is not as 

 slender or as graceful in form as in A. gryllus, having a considerable resem- 

 blance to a toad. Varies extremely in color and in other marks. The only un- 

 varying marks which I have been able to discover are the warts on the back, the 

 dusky line from the axilla on the side (which sometimes almost vanishes) the 

 darker angular spot above the anus (which at times is scarcely perceptible) and 

 the while granules on the hinder and under parts of the thighs. They are found 

 of a green color with a reddish line along the middle of the back, and olivaceous 

 with a red or green vertebral line, in the majority of specimens however this 

 line is entirely wanting. In some the warts on the back are few in number, and 

 the lower ones on each side coalesce into a line resembling a cutaneous fold. In 

 others a few dark spots of greater or less size are seen on the back, and there is 

 on the head a large triangular spot of dusky, the base of which is placed be- 

 tween the orbits, the apex pointing backwards often to be only traced by three 

 narrow lines forming a triangle frequently reduced to one transverse bar, and 

 again being sometimes entirely wanting. Theie are likewise in some a few 

 large oblong spots of cinereous dusky ou the back, which are so placed as to 

 form a recurved vitta on each side of the vertebral column, they are however 

 sometimes not joined together and then may be said to be scattered irregularly. 

 The upper lip is sometimes white varied with black, sometimes entirely white, 

 of which c dor is also the lower lip, almost always dotted with black. The black 

 spot from the orbit to the arm is often wanting and its place occupied by the 

 enlarged inferior white line. In many individuals the spot from the axilla is the 

 only one visible on the side. The fingers in all are slightly bullated at the ex- 

 tremity, which gives it the faculty of supporting itself on smooth perpendicular 

 surfaces. 



Whether all the variations above mentioned are permanent in the individuals 

 where they have been observed, or depend upon the will of the animal, I have 

 not been able to determine precisely. In many instances however, they are the 

 voluntary changes which for some unknown reasons this creature chooses to 

 make in its appearance. 



Length 1-2 in., head -3, arm -6, leg 1-7, thigh -4, tibia -5, foot -6. 



Inhabits the Northern and Middle States. 



CHOROPHILUS Baird. 



G. nigrita. Ran a nigrita L. C. 1. c. Cystignathus nigritus Holbrook 1 c. pi. 

 26. Acris nigrita Dumeril, 1. c. p 509. 



Body elongated rather narrow, above with numerous small warts. Color 

 above dark slate, with more or less of oblong, oval or round sometimes very 

 numerous black spots, which often form stripes. Upper lip white, which color 

 often extends to the insertion of the arm. Irids golden. Tympanum distinct, 

 black or of the color of the body. A broad black band extends from the nose 

 through the eyes and along the sides to beyond the middle of the body. Beneath 

 whitish, sometimes tinged with yellow with a few black spots irregularly assem- 

 bled in groups, cancellately reticulate (in dead specimens appearing granulate) 

 arms and legs spotted and barred with black ; thighs and tibiae granulated, more 

 or less covered with small warts. A very slight scarcely perceptible web between 

 the second and third and between the third and fourth toes, the fourth and fifih 

 are closely united at the base. Fingers and toes with small dilations at then 

 tips. Chin often dusky. 



Inhabits Georgia and S. Carolina in ditches and ponds. 



This species has been placed by Dr. Holbrook in the genus Cystignathus, to 

 which it cannot possi ly be referred, as it has the vocal vesicle under' the chin 

 and not at the corners of the mouth. M. Dumeril has called it an Acris. Thai 

 genus has the toes properly and strongly webbed. 



