VI RANINAE 249 



FiJt. Irucomystax is found in the Malay Archipelago, Farther 

 India, and the Philippine Islands. 



S. S. Flower ^ found the tadpoles about Singapore, froni -lanuary 

 to April, in small ponds and in rain-water butts. The spiracle 

 lies on the left side, directed backwards and upwards, nearer the 

 auus than the end of the snout. The anus opens on the right 

 side. Exceptionally large tadpoles measured 46 mm. in total 

 length, the recently transformed young only 14-18 mm. 



"A cheerfid little frog of most graceful build. It comes out 

 from its hiding-places shortly before sunset, and remains abroad 

 all night. The males are easily found as they sit on shrubs or 

 trees, or on the edges of the rain-water butts under the verandahs 

 of the houses, and from time to time utter a single, rather 

 musical, short croak. In March and April they can be found 

 both by day and night in embrace, in the ponds. This species 

 changes both its colour and markings very rapidly and fre- 

 quently, but dark bands across the legs can always be more or 

 less distinguished ; the lower parts are some shade or other of 

 buff, but the principal variations of the upper part are as 

 follows : pale bronze, either uniform or with four longitudinal 

 dark -brown or black lines ; imiform, almost orange, bright 

 bronze ; chocolate, with darker mottling ; pale brownish green 

 or olive, with irregular dark spots ; yellowish green, mottled 

 with darker or brown." The females are considerably larger 

 than the males; the largest male caught was 48 mm. from 

 snout to vent, and the largest female 68 mm. 



Bana. — The following combination of characters should be a 

 sufficient diagnosis : pupil horizontal ; tongue deeply notched 

 and free behind ; vomers with teeth ; fingers free, toes webbed, 

 fourth and fifth metatarsals diverging and webbed together. 



In conformity with the great number of species and the wide 

 distribution of this genus some of the organs vary considerably, 

 indeed so much so that many of these modifications have been 

 deemed sufficient to be of generic importance. Fortunately the 

 species are so numerous that these characters mostly form an 

 uninterrupted series from one extreme to the other. 



The terminal phalanges are mostly simple and pointed ; 

 sometimes transversely dilated or T-shaped, according to tlic 

 presence of more or less developed discs. Such discs are, ior 



' I'.Z.S. 1896, p. 906. 



