232 bufonid^e. 



Skeleton. — The skull is less strongly ossified than 

 in Bufo vulgaris; the fronto-parietals, which area 

 little narrowed in front, meet only in the posterior 

 half, a narrow portion of the endocranial fontanelle 

 being exposed except in very old individuals ; these 

 bones are usually separated from the nasals, a part 

 of the upper surface of the ethmoid remaining exposed 

 in front of them ; the squamosal is more detached 

 from the prootic. 



Fig. 86. 



Upper view of skull. 



The vertebral column, to the base of the urostyle, 

 measures once and one-fifth to once and one-third the 

 length of the skull in males, once and a half to once 

 and three-fifths in females. The third diapophysis is 

 a little shorter than the second; the sixth, or the 

 sixth and seventh, are directed forwards. The distal 

 diameter of the sacral diapophysis equals its length. 

 Urostyle as long as the six or seven vertebras preceding 

 it, but slightly longer than the skull, exceptionally 

 with a short transverse process at the base. 



Two bones to the pollex, which is much more de- 

 veloped in males than in females. Pelvis as long as 

 the vertebral column without the urostyle. Tibia as 

 long as, or slightly longer than the femur, which is 

 more strongly curved than in B. vulgaris, and measures 

 once and two-thirds to once and four-fifths the length 

 of the tarsus. 



Other characters as in B. vulgaris. 



