Vol. XXIII, pp. 115-122 July 23, 1910 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SOLITARY SPADEFOOT 



(SCAPHIOPUS HURTERII) FROM TEXAS, WITH 



OTHER PIERPETOLOGICAL NOTES. 



BY JOHN K. STKECKER, JR. 



Baylor Umversitv, \V.\co, Texas. 



Cope and otlier herpetological writers have included the 

 eastern half of the State of Texas in the range of the Solitary 

 Spadefoot {Sraphinptis hnlbroohii Harlan), hut have cited no 

 definite localities for specimens. 



In June, 1904, the present writer captured a spadefoot of 

 this type near Refugio, Refugio County, and recorded it as a 

 " typical example of -S. holbrookii,^^ hut later was uncertain as 

 to whether he was justified in inserting the word typical. In 

 as much as this specimen possessed the conspicuous i)arotoid 

 glands, distinct tympanum, and in a way, general appearance 

 of the eastern species, in these, particulars diflfering from 

 S'aphiopus rourhii B. and G. and »S. hainmondii, Baird of the 

 Sonoran and Central Zoological districts, the reference was, in 

 a measure, correct. On the other hand it differed from 

 holhrookil in many particulars, l)eing cliaracterized hy a 

 peculiarly narrow and compact form, for a Scaphiopiis, and 

 possessing a remarkahly short and hlunt head. 



On the night of April 13, 1910, while collecting toads in and 

 around temporary hreeding pools on an elm flat about 3i miles 

 east of the city of A\'aco, I captured a second example of the 

 same type. By the dim light of a lantern I was at firs't under 

 the impression — on account of its greenish coloration, tubercu- 

 lar upper surfaces and high round parotoids — that I had 

 captureil a large Blc^o pnnrtatus B. and G., and did not realize 

 the importance of my find until after I had reached the house 

 on my return. 



30— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. XXIII, 1910. U15) 



