1856.] 251 



spots as Dumeril and Bibron observe, are subquadrate in palustris, but round in 

 halecina; the thighs are very differently marked in the two species, and the 

 tympanum, as stated by the authors above mentioned, is smaller in palustris, 

 but it appears to us that the snout is more acute in the latter than in halecina, 

 being the reverse of the diagnosis as given by them. 



Rana pipiens. 



There is but one specimen of Rana pipiens in the collection, and that is abont 

 half grown. It does not differ materially from one of the same dimensions from 

 Absecom, N. J., except in the size of the tympanum, which in the Kansas specimen 

 is not more than 21 lines in diameter ; whereas in the one found at Absecom it is 6 

 lines, being the same as in a very large and full grown specimen from Buffalo, 

 New York. The general color is olive above, minutely and sparsely spotted 

 with black, with very indistinct bars of a deeper olive upon the posterior ex- 

 tremities. The mottlings below resemble each other, except that in the Abse- 

 com specimen they are of a chocolate color, and the color of the abdomen less 

 clouded ; they both appear to be females. The difference in the size of the 

 tympanum is certainly remarkable, but without a greater number of specimens, 

 we are unwilling, on that account, to give it a new specific name. Besides the 

 above, there are several other smaller specimens of the same olive color above, 

 the rows upon the posterior extremities of a darker color, the body covered 

 with minute black spots, in the youngest resembling ;lie R. conspersa of Major 

 Le Conte, which is, probably, the young of R. pipiens. According to Major 

 Le Conte, conspersa wants the ridge upon the tympanum. Under part mottled 

 as in the larger individual. 



There is a single specimen of a very small Batrachian resembling the Acris 

 gryllus, grey spotted above with the triangular spots upon the head ; thighs and 

 eyes obliquely spotted with brown ; under parts white ; length from snout to 

 posterior extremity of body G lines; length of anterior extremities 3 lines ; of 

 posterior 9J. 



BUFONID^. 



BUPO AMERIOANUS. 



There are in the collection of Dr. Hammond, two very large toads, larger than 

 any specimens of Bufo americanus that I have seen. They measure 3 inches 

 11 lines in length, (from snout to vent,) the dimensions of the Bufo ameri- 

 canus, as given by Prof. Holbrook, being but 2 J inches. The longitudinal ridges 

 upon the head are as in Americanus, and there is a narrow vertebral line running 

 from the extremity of the snout to near the posterior extremity of the body; the 

 general color is dusky above mingled with olive, with a few subround black 

 spots and linear maculations ; the black colored maculations are more distinct 

 upon the sides ; under part yellow, mingled with orange posteriorly ; the warts 

 upon the sides of the body above and upon the posterior extremities are remark- 

 able for their large size. 



The Bufo punctatus of Profs. Baird and Girard appears to be the young of 

 this species ; they are of an ash grey with subround spots, and irregular mark- 

 ings of black, containing one or more prominent red colored points or tubercles. 

 Under parts white, with a tinge of blue upon the abdomen, except posteriorly, 

 the under surface of the posterior extremities of a yellow color. I cannot make 

 out that this toad differs essentially from Bufo americanus, and in this my friend 

 Major Le Conte agrees, who also examined the specimen. 



The most striking difference between this species and the Americanus, con- 

 sists in the much greater breadth of the tongue, and its greater comparative 

 evertil'ity ; in two specimens of equal size, the tongue in the Kansas specimen 

 is six lines in breadth, in Bufo Americanus but three. In the largest specimen 

 the tongue measures 7 lines in breadth, and is somewhat less evertile th^n in 

 the smaller specimen. This species is very different from Bufo halophila, B. 

 & G., inhabiting California; the latter is much more warty, the warts being 



