304 ranid^:. 



towards eacb other on the scapular region, where they 

 are separated by a space equalling one-seventh to one- 

 sixth, rarely one-fifth, the length from snout to vent; 

 a glandular fold behind the angle of the mouth, and 

 another from the eye to the shoulder ; females with 

 the sides of the head and body, the pelvic region, and 

 the upper surface of the leg and tarsus studded with 

 pearl-like granules, which are more developed during 

 the breeding season. Lower parts smooth, the pos- 

 terior half of the thighs granular. 



Few species vary so much in coloration as does the 

 common frog ; out of a large number it is rare to find 

 two perfectly alike in their markings. The ground 

 colour of the upper parts may be grey, brown, rufous, 

 pink, or yellow, usually spotted, speckled, or marbled 

 with darker ; the spots are usually dark brown, 

 sometimes orange or bright brick-reel; black blotches 

 resembling ink-spots may be scattered on the back, 

 or so crowded together as to produce a plum-pudding 

 appearance; sometimes these black spots run together, 

 and the upper parts are nearly entirely black. The 

 more characteristic markings, viz. a large blotch on 

 the temporal region, a streak on the inner side of the 

 arm, a A-shaped figure between the shoulders, and 

 bands across the limbs, may be more or less well 

 defined, or entirely absent ; the bands on the limbs, 

 if present, may be numerous and close together, or 

 few and irregular. A broad, light, dark-edged 

 vertebral stripe is sometimes, though rarely, present ; 

 in one specimen, a female from Banffshire, it is as 

 well defined as in the striped specimens of Rana 

 arvalis. The flanks nearly always bear large spots or 

 marblings. The canthus rostralis is usually indicated 

 by a dark line, and a light streak extends on each side 

 of the upper lip from below the eye to a little beyond 

 the angle of the jaws. 



The lower parts in the males are white or pale 

 yellow, bluish or lilac on the throat, usually spotted, 

 marbled, or speckled with brown or grey. In the 



