BY DENE B. PRY. 777 



they lie immediately beneath the obliquus muscles; but, anteriorly, 

 they are more deeply situated Tn Rana temporaria,* there are 

 five poststernal inscriptiones tendinem; while in L.dorsalis{V\aiie 

 Iv., fig.3, it.) and Rhinoderma danvini,j there are only four; 

 Megalophrys nasuta,\ Xenophrys monticola,% and Kaloula 

 pidchra have three; and Hemisus (juttatum\\ but two; while, in 

 Breviceps,^ there is, as I suppose in Aphantophryne, only one. 



The whole, superficial, abdominal surface of ^. ^a?isa is covered 

 by two muscles. As before mentioned, the rectus abdominalis 

 is completely hidden by these. By far the greater extent is 

 overlain by the two, large pectorales abdominis, but a V-shaped 

 area remains between the anterior borders and the posterior 

 edges of the pectorales sternales. This is covered by an ex- 

 tremely fine, transparent muscle, whose fibres run almost parallel 

 to those of the pectorales sternales, at an angle of about 70° to 

 the longitudinal axis. This muscle, which is obvious on the 

 sides of the body as well, is no doubt a true obliqtms externus. 

 In the median venti'al line, the muscles of each side are separated, 

 although the tough fascia appears to bridge the gap, through 

 which may distinctly be seen the heart and conus (Plate Iv., 

 fig. 2, c. and v.). Bordering this median gap, the obliquus ex- 

 ternus is replaced by a band of longitudinal fibres (Plate Iv., 

 fig. 2, oel.) which I had at first thought to be a distinct muscle, 

 but which I have been quite unable to separate from it. These 

 fibres seem to be wrapped in the same fascia as the obliquus, 

 and to connect anteriorly with the expanded, symphysial portion 

 of the coracoids. The different angle of the fibres is (.-ertainly 

 conducive to regarding them as a distinct muscle, but, till better 

 preserved material is available, this point cannot be settled. 



Beneath the external oblique muscle is a layer of even more 

 obscure fibres, which are so delicate and transparent that they 



•Beddard, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1907, p.338. 

 tBeddard, he. ciL, 1908, p.683. 

 JBeddard. loc. cit.., 1907, p.338. 

 §Beddard, loc. cit., 1907, p. 882. 

 llBeddard, loc. cit., 1908, p.903. 

 HBeddard, loc. cit., 1908, p. 083. 



