( 18i ) 



DESCETPTION OF A NEW TOAD (XENOBHINA) FROM 



NEW GUINEA. 



Bv OR. A. GtJNTIIER. 

 .(Plate VIII. fig-. 1.) 



THE genus Xenorhiim was established by Peters in .■)/. B. Berlin Ac. 18G3, p. 62 

 for Bombinator oxyce 1)11(1111.1 Schleg., 'Haiull. Dicrk. II. p. 58. t. iv. fig. 74." 

 Througli the kindness of Dr. .Jentink, I have been able to compare a toad from the 

 Clyde River with this species of Schlegel's : there is not the least donbt that they 

 belong to the same genus ; but B. oxycephalua has a larger tympanum (3 mm. in a 

 sjiecimen 39 mm. long.), a larger eye (2-2 mm.), and the first and second fingers of 

 the same length. The contracted state of the snout and the warts on the tip of the 

 snont, considered to be characteristic of the geuns and species, arc due to the strength 

 of the spirit in which the typical specimen was preserved. 



Xenorhina Peters. 



Body and limbs stout ; head broad and short, with the snout rounded. Eye 

 very small, with round pupil. Mouth narrow; no teeth in the jaws or ou the 

 palate. Choanae widely apart, of moderate width. Tongue very large, oval, 

 extending far into the pharynx, on the sides and behind narrowly free, with a deep 

 groove running along its middle and terminating in the posterior margin of the 

 tongue. Tympanum rather laige, its outline being visible from below the general 

 iutegnmeut, below which it is hidden. Eustachian tubes rather wide, situated 

 entirely on the side of the pharynx. Fingers and toes free, the latter with their 

 extremities slightly dilated, and supported by T-shaped phalanges. Outer meta- 

 tarsals united. No metatarsal tubercle or fold. Skin uniformly smooth. 

 Diajiiijihysis of sacral vertebra dilated. 



Having one specimen only at present, I must defer the examination of the 

 sternal apparatus. 



Xeuorhina atra sp. uov. 



The short snout has no ruiithus roistralis whatever, and tiie niinutc nostril is 

 placed a little nearer to the end of the snout than to the eye. Fingers short, the 

 first conspicuously shorter than the second, the second and fourth equal in length, 

 the third projecting far beyond tlie others. Toes with the dilated tips smaller than 

 the eye ; the third rather longer than the fifth. Cleft of tlie mouth not extending 

 backwards beyond the front margin of the orbit. Black, with an extremely fine 

 threadlike greyish line along the median line of the back ; sides more intensely 

 black than back, and separated from it by a bluisli shade. Snout and lower parts 

 marbled with a very dark bluisli grey. 



Length of body 41 mm. 



Length of orbit ... ... ... ... ... l'-^ i> 



Diameter of tympanum ... ... ... ... 2-4 „ 



Distance between vent and heel ... ... ... 35 „ 



Length of foot with tarsus '. .. 28 „ 



Length of foot without tarsus IT „ 



