TAILLESS BATRACHIANS 213 



writing, in Regent's Park, refuse flies and spiders, and feed 

 exclusively" on ants, of which they consume large quantities. 

 These curious little toads do not hop, but run about with 

 considerable rapidity, and thus, when on the move and 

 half hidden by the vegetation in their cage, resemble 

 beetles rather than frogs or toads. On arrival these 

 specimens, when disturbed, would turn over and lie on 

 their backs, exhibiting the bright warning colours of their 

 under-surfaces. 



Breviceps, of Africa, are curious little burrowing crea- 

 tures, with globular bodies and very short, stout legs, 

 provided with large shovel-shaped tubercles for digging 

 purposes. The snout is very short and the face scarcely 

 projects at all beyond the rotund outline of the body. 

 The mouth is very narrow. The pupil is horizontal. 

 The fingers and toes are both quite free. 



Hemisus has a pointed snout, very small eyes, and digs 

 with the hands only, which are modified accordingly. It 

 does not go to the water for oviposition, the mother sitting 

 on the eggs, in which the young undergo the greater part 

 of their metamorphosis, emerging as tadpoles in an 

 advanced condition. The breeding habits of Breviceps are 

 still unknown, no observations having been made upon 

 them. The toads of the above two genera feed entirely 

 on ants ; they emit loud and shrill squeaks when alarmed 

 or suddenly handled. 



The frogs of the family Cystignathid^, of America and 

 AustraHa, as well as those of the families to follow, belong 

 to the series Arcifera, in which the two halves of the 

 shoulder girdle overlap on the median line. The upper 

 jaw is toothed. The transverse processes of the sacral 



