420 BATKACHIA. 



equally round shape, whilst in Chinese specimens, especially in those from Chusan, some 

 tubercles are considerably larger than the others and of a more elongate shape, as if two 

 tubercles had melted into one. This, however, does not appear to me to amount to a specific 

 difference. 



Of greater importance might be considered another difference, viz. the length of the hind 

 leg. This is conspicuously longer in almost all the English and German specimens than in 

 those from China ; and if this character had been constant, I should not have hesitated to 

 adopt B. gargarizans as a valid species. However, several specimens collected in Devonshire 

 agree in this respect with the Chinese, and specimens from Sicily are exactly intermediate 

 forms ; so that this character also cannot be taken as one of specific value. 



Our specimens from Japan have the upper surface of the skull a little more concave* than 

 in the European toad, but in other respects — form of the tubercles, length of hind limb, &c. — 

 it appears to be still more closely allied to the latter than the Chinese. 



Finally, we have received specimens fi-om Messrs. v. Schlagintweit, collected in the Hima- 

 layas at altitudes of from 5900 to 10,200 feet, which much resemble our common toad. 

 However, the specimens are not in a good state of preservation, leaving some doubt as 

 regards their specific identity with that species. 



This species extends from Western Europe, through the temperate parts of Central Asia, 

 to China and Japan. We have lately received examples from the Mauritius also, but it is 

 almost certain that they were not indigenous in that island, but imported from France. 

 Some of the Chinese and Japanese specimens are of as large a size as may be observed in our 

 European toad, whilst none of the Chusan examples exceed a length of 2\ inches. 



BufO CALAMiTA. The Natter Jack. 



Roesel, Hist. Ran. taf. 24. 



Bufo calamita, Laur. Syn. Rept. p. 27. Giint/i. Batr. Sal. p. 57. 



Crown of the head quite flat, without elevated bony ridges ; a narrow groove between the 

 eye and the parotoid. Parotoids oblong, elliptical, of moderate size, shorter than the head. 

 Tympanum indistinct, considerably smaller than the eye. Upper parts granulated with 

 scattered wart-like tubercles. Legs short, the length of the hind limb being not much more 

 than that of the body. A large, elliptic, parotoid-like gland on the upper side of the calf 

 Soles with numerous small tubercles, metatarsus with two flat prominences ; a fold of the 

 skin runs along the inner edge of the tarsus. Toes half-webbed. Brownish- or greenish- 

 olive above, with rounded or kidney-shaped brown spots, one of which occupies the middle 

 of each upper eyelid. Lower parts yellowish, with small black spots. Generally a yellowish 

 vertebral line. 



This species is found in many parts of Europe ; it occurs also in Tibet, whence we received 

 an adult example with many young ones. It rarely exceeds a length of 2^ inches. 



* Dr. Liitken describes an Indian toad with concave skul], Bufo stomaticus ; it is not known from what 

 country this species comes (Naturh. Foren. Vid. Meddel. 1862). 



