CALLULA PULCHRA. 437 



CaLLULA PULCHRA. 



Kaloula pulchra. Gray, ZooL Misc. p. 38. Giinth. Batr. Sal. p. 123. 

 Hylsedactylus bivittatiis, Cantor, Mai. Rept. p. 143. 



Snout very short and obtusely rounded; back with scattered flat and smooth tubercles. 

 Limbs short, the length of the hind limb being equal to that of the body ; lingers quite free, 

 with the terminal disks well developed and truncated ; the third finger is nearly as long as 

 the free portion of the fourth toe. The skin of the hinder part of the body is so wide as to 

 nearly entirely envelope the thigh. Toes short, with the extremities slightly swollen ; the 

 membrane at their base is very short. Tarsus without fold ; metatarsus with two tubercles, 

 the inner of which is disciform, nearly as large as the eye, and has a somewhat trenchant 

 edge ; the outer tubercle is flat. Almost the entire back is occupied by a very large sub- 

 triangular brown, black-edged spot ; it commences between the eyes, having its anterior apex 

 truncated, and gradually becoming broader, terminates in the lumbar regions; it is some- 

 times divided by a black vertebral Ime. A broad yellowish (during life rose-coloured) band 

 on each side of the back, both bands convergent towards, and confluent on, the forehead. 

 An irregular oblique black band runs from behind the eye along the side of the anterior 

 part of the trunk. The limbs and lower parts are marbled with brownish. Young speci- 

 mens have a whitish spot on each of the principal joints of the limbs. Males have the 

 thi'oat deep brown. 



This fine species is found in Ceylon, the Malayan Peninsula, Pegu, Mergui, Gamboja, Siam, 

 and China. The largest individual we have observed (a female) is rather more than 3 inches 

 long, the hind limb bemg of the same length. 



ticular attention on tlie part of herpetologists. It was first described by Bibrou as Plectropus pictus ; 

 then it was referred by myself to Callula. At the same time (Batracb. Sal. p. 123) I had an opportunity 

 of examining some other Batracbians fi'om the same locality, which were so similar to Plectropus pictus 

 that I dared not separate them specificallyj although they differed in the development of the disks of the 

 fingers, in the form and size of the inner metatarsal tubercle, and in the greater width of the interdigital 

 membrane. My specimen of Plectropus pictus was a male, the others (four in number) females. 



The same two forms of Batracbians have lately been examined by Professor Peters (Monatsber. Acad. 

 Wiss. Berl. 1863, p. 454') ; and he says that he observed a male and female of the slender-toed PL pictus, 

 and a male of the broad-toed form : so that the differences would not be sexual. Professor Peters, although 

 ha\'ing only one example of the latter, considers it as a distinct species, perhaps as the tj^pe of a separate 

 genus, naming it Hylcedactylus [Holonectes] conjunctus. 



Meanwhile, we have received two other specimens of the slender-toed form, which, without this obser- 

 vation of Professor Peters, would have confirmed me in my former opinion, as they, again, are mule.'i. 

 However, this may be accidental ; and I have only to add the following remarks : — 



1 . The inner metatarsal tubercle varies in size and form in om- three specimens of male PI. pictus : it is 

 sometimes as large as the eye, disciform, broadly ovate, with eroded surface, — sometimes narrow, oblong, 

 smooth, similar to tliat in our female specimens. 



2. One of these males has one finger on one side much more dilated thaai the others. 



3. All our females {H. conjunctus) have the interdigital membrane more developed than the males ; in 

 one specimen it extends to the last phalanx of the fourth toe on one side ; on the other foot it is shorter. 



4. None have teeth on the ridge behind the choanEC, but a part of the edge of the ridge is unequally 

 serrated. 



