BUF0. 



2-n 



seventh and eighth directed slightly forwards ; of 

 ninth or sacral strongly dilated, as broad as long 

 or slightly broader. Urostyle as long as the skull. 

 A single bone to the pollex. Pelvis slightly longer 

 than the vertebral column without the urostyle. 

 Tibia as long as or slightly shorter than the femur, 

 which is rather strongly curved, and measures once 

 and three-fifths to once and two-thirds the length of 

 the tarsus. 



Measurements of Skeleton (in millimetres). 



Length of skull 



Width of skull 



Least interorbital width 



Dorsal vertebral column 



Urostyle 



Humerus 



Radius-ulna 



Manus 



Pelvis 



Femur 



Tibia 



Tarsus 



Pes . 



Habits. — This lively little toad, known by the Anglo- 

 Saxon name " Natter-Jack," differs from all other 

 European Batrachians in being unable to hop, owing 

 to its remarkably short hind limbs. It supplies the 

 deficiency by running at a considerable pace, the 

 body raised from the ground, but stopping every few 

 seconds. It is a good burrower in sandy localities, 

 for which it shows a decided predilection, although in 

 France and Spain, where it is very generally distributed 

 and in many places the commoner species of Bufo, 

 it accommodates itself to every kind of soil, requiring 

 less moisture than any other Batrachian. In Northern 

 Europe it is particularly abundant in the sand-hills 

 close to the sea, where in summer adult as well as 

 young may be seen crawling or running about in full 

 sunshine among the sparse tufts of marram grass, 

 whilst the eggs and larvas are developing in neigh- 

 bouring pools of strongly brackish water. 



