Hurler — Herpetology of Missouri. m 



them in removing earth while making their subterranean abodes. Many 

 of them very seldom come to the surface of the earth, and then only 

 in darkness; for this habit the verticle cat-like pupil is an adaptation, 

 a peculiarity not exhibited by the toads, which are crepuscular. (Cope.) 



Genus scaphiopus. 



Pupil erect. Tongue subcircular or oval, entire or slightly nicked, 

 and free behind. Vomerine teeth in two small groups. Tympanum 

 more or less distinct or hidden. Fingers generally with a rudiment of 

 web; toes webbed; tips of fingers and toes not dilated. Inner meta- 

 tarsal tubercle shovel-shaped; outer metatarsal separated by web. Omos- 

 ternum cartilaginous, rudimentary; sternum a cartilaginous plate. 

 Vertebrae procoelian; sacral vertebrae with rather strongly dilated dia- 

 physes, confluent with coccyx. (Boulenger.) 



27. Scaphiopus holbeookii Harlan. Hermit Toad. Hol- 

 brook's Spade Foot. 



Rana holbrookii, Scaphiopus soUtarius. 



Description. — Snout rounded, nostrils nearer the tips of the snout 

 than the eye. Interorbital space as broad as, or a little broader than, 

 the upper eyelid; upper surface of head bony, rather smooth; tympanum' 

 distinct, half the width of the eye. Tongue sub-circular, or oval, nicked 

 behind. Vomerine teeth in two small groups on a level with the hind 

 edge of the choanae. Two round glands on each side of the thorax, 

 near the axilla. Fingers short, with a rudiment of web, first a little 

 longer than second; toes short, webbed to the tips; subarticular tuber- 

 cles indistinct; three metatarsal tubercles. Metatarsal shovel longer 

 than first toe. The hind limb being carried forward along the body, 

 the tibio-tarsal articulation reaches the shoulder of the tympanum. 

 Skin of back minutely tubercular, of sides more coarsely, beneath near- 

 ly smooth. Male with a subgular vocal sac. 



Color. — Brownish or olive above, marbled with darker; edge of the 

 metatarsal shovel black, male during the breeding season with black 

 rugosities on the inner side of the first two fingers. The tubercles on- 

 the sides with a whitish spot. 



Size. — Length of head and body 62 mm.; from tip of snout to axilla- 

 26 mm.; femur 25 mm.; tibia 20 mm.; tarsus and fourth toe together 

 34 mm. 



Habitat. — Its range is from Massachusetts to Florida, 

 west to Texas, north to Arkansas. Specimens from Cam- 

 bridge, Mass., are nearly unicolor, while Florida forms 

 are lightest and most varigated. The writer includes this 



