244 REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS 



The following account of the breeding of specimens 

 in our Zoological Gardens has been given by Bartlett : 

 " About April 25 the males became very lively, and w^ere 

 constantly heard uttering their most remarkable metallic 

 call-notes. On the following morning Tennant, the 

 keeper, arrived in time to witness the mode in which the 

 eggs were deposited. The oviduct of the female protruded 

 from her body more than an inch in length, and the 

 bladder-like protrusion, being retroverted, passed under 

 the belly of the male on to her own back. The male 

 appeared to press lightly upon this protrusion and to 

 squeeze it from side to side, apparently pressing the eggs 

 forward, one by one, to the back of the female. By this 

 movement the eggs were spread with almost uniform 

 smoothness over the whole surface of the back of the 

 female, to which they became firmly adherent. On the 

 operation being completed the males left their places on 

 the females and the enlarged and projected oviduct 

 gradually disappeared." 



Although essentially aquatic, this toad is frequently 

 found during the dry seasons in almost completely dried- 

 up pools, when they may be easily captured. 



Hymenochirus, recently discovered in Tropical Africa, 

 agrees with Xenopus in the presence of claws on the inner 

 toes, with Pipa in the absence of teeth. It differs from 

 both in having the fingers webbed. 



