228 REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS 



yellow. In one specimen I observed the head, fore limbs, 

 and anterior part of the body to be dark brown, whilst the 

 posterior part of the body and the hind limbs were greyish- 

 white. In another specimen the right half of the body 

 was brown, the left half greyish-white. A dark marking, 

 usually hour-glass-shaped, extending from between the 

 eyes to the anterior third of the back, is frequently present, 

 appearing and disappearing with great rapidity. 



These Tree-Frogs were extremely agile in their move- 

 ments, making leaps of quite six feet. In the daytime they 

 kept quiet, sticking to the leaves or glass of their terrarium ; 

 they issued at intervals a sharp, creaky note. 



White's Tree-Frog, H. coerulea, widely distributed over 

 the greater part of Australia, is a large species, attaining a 

 length of over four inches, and is very commonly imported 

 to this country. In spite of its specific name it is bright 

 green in colour, and not blue, the latter colour being 

 restricted to spirit specimens. The head is very broad, and 

 the tympanum is large, measuring two-thirds the size of 

 the eye. The discs of the fingers and toes are very highly 

 developed, being sometimes even larger than the eye. The 

 skin is perfectly smooth and very shiny, and thus, when the 

 animal is sitting motionless, it gives one the impression of 

 being made of wax. The male of this species is provided 

 during the breeding season with large horny spines, 

 situated on the inner side of the first finger. 



White's Tree-Frog does exceedingly well in captivity, 

 feeding greedily on all kinds of insects and on small worms. 

 Dr. Gadow's specimens would also take snails, vomiting 

 out the shells in the form of pellets, some fifteen hours 

 later. The eggs of this frog are laid in round, frothy 

 masses, which float on the surface of the water. 



