113 



Family II. HYLOIDEA. 



CHARACTERS. 



I. This family differs greatly from the last, in having the extremities of the 

 toes and fingers enlarged into a disk or viscous pellet, by means of which they 

 can sustain themselves on smooth surfaces, as leaves, glass, &c. This is indeed 

 an important character, and influences their whole mode of existence, as it 

 enables them to live on trees or shrubs, or plants, where they are always found 

 except in the breeding season. 



II. They differ also from the family Ranoidea again in having the inferior 

 surface of the belly in general covered with small granulations, with glandular 

 openings; in all other respects they are similar, as in the teeth, tongue, &c. &c. 



This family includes several genera, two only of which have hitherto been 

 observed in the United States, viz: Hyla and Hylodes. 



Vol. IV.— 15 



