CYSTIGNATHUS ORNATUS. 105 



South Carolina, and as yet only in one locality, about four miles from Charleston, 

 between the Cooper and Ashley rivers, where it abounds. 



Habits. Little can be said of the habits of this animal, but that it seems to 

 resemble very much those of the Rana sylvatica. I have always found it on land, 

 and in dry places, and frequently in corn-fields after light summer showers. It 

 is very lively and active, making immense leaps when pursued, and consequently 

 is taken with great difiiculty. An individual thrown into water floated, struggling 

 with its limbs extended, as though altogether unacquainted with the art of 

 swimming. I have never heard it produce any sound. 



General Remarks. The great beauty of this little animal, the number and 

 variety of its spots and bars, leads me to give it the specific name of ornata. It 

 is remarkable for having its hinder feet not palmated, the toes being very nearly, 

 if not altogether, destitute of a connecting web; in which respect it agrees with 

 several South American species, forming the genus Cystignatlms of Wagler. 



Schlegel* supposes this to be a young animal, and perhaps the young of the 

 Rana sylvatica, which it cannot be, as one has the toes well palmated and the 

 other has not. It is, doubtless, an adult animal, for of the many that I have seen 

 in the last seven or eight years, I have never observed one of greater dimensions 

 than those represented in the figure; and, besides, we have no larger frog with 

 the toes not palmated except the Cystignathus nigritus, 



* Revue Zool., No. 13, 1S3S, p. 332. 



Vol. IV.— 14 



