BY J. J. FLETCHER. 663 



have been in some respects a somewhat exceptional one, or at 

 least not in perfect condition; though no description based on a 

 single specimen of these variable little frogs can be perfectly 

 satisfactory. The distinctive characters of the species according 

 to the B.M. Catalogue are — vomerine teeth wanting, toes not 

 fringed, subarticular and metatarsal tubercles indistinct, upper 

 and lower surfaces smooth ; " brownish-olive above, with small 

 scattered yellow spots; lower surfaces spotted with brown.'' 



From the examination of a good series of thirteen specimens I 

 find that the description may be amended in several respects, as 

 follows : — Vomerine teeth of the usual character present, seldom 

 missing ; ventral surface white with scattered brown or black 

 spots, the " concealed surfaces " black and white marbled (least 

 so, but sometimes slightly, on the backs of the thighs), the white 

 suffused with rosy or rosy-pink all over, or occasionally chiefly 

 about the groin, and the thigh-, knee- and tarsal- joints; but I have 

 not seen a specimen — and I have seen only spirit specimens — 

 without some evident indications of it. Some specimens have the 

 ventral surface more dark-spotted than others, the tendency being 

 for the spots to become larger posteriorly on the ventral surface, 

 as well as on the legs. Some have indications of at least some 

 subarticular tubercles, and occasionally of an inner metatarsal 

 tubercle. Some have a few small scattered warts on the dorsal 

 surface. Some have indications — especially immediately behind 

 the eye— of an incomplete dark streak on each side of the head. 

 Occasionally, as in \a,r. froggatti, a specimen is met with showing 

 one or a number of light spots somewhere on the doi'sal surface, 

 but not constant in position; they may even be suffused with 

 rosy. One very light Tasmanian specimen has a ros}' wash (post 

 mortem ■?) nearly all over the upper surface. 



When these characteristics are allowed for I am prepared to 

 admit that the Victorian frog described by me as Crinia frogqattl 

 (P.L.S.N.S.W. (2) vi. 1891, p. 275) is at most only a continental 

 variety of C. hei-is. The largest of the Victorian specimens {26mm. 

 from snout to vent) are somewhat smaller than the largest Tas- 

 manian specimens (30 mm); the concealed surfaces are somewhat 



