AMPHIBIA. 251 



Eleutherodactylus urichi (Boettger). 

 Plate, fig. a, 4, (J, S, 10. 

 HoETTGER, Journ. Trinidad field, nat. club, 1894, 2, p. 88. 



Without specimens from Trinidad, it is impossible to decide certainly 

 whether the specimens which Dr. Allen brought from Grenada are absolutely 

 the same as this species or not. They certainly agree closely with the original 

 description, and must be very closely related, if not identical. 



The large series are from the virgin forest about the Grand Etang, a lake 

 high up in the central part of the island. To this region this species is absolutely 

 confined. Not a single specimen was taken in the lowlands. It occurs com- 

 monly under stones, rotten logs, and in decaying leaves and other fallen vegeta- 

 tion. Its note is "a series of eight or nine rapid 'criks,' the last two or three 

 less rapid, and the whole not louder than a cricket." 



The two figures show how varying the color pattern may be; and the 

 coloring itself of the alcoholic individuals is also very various. In general it 

 agrees with Boettger's description, but no two specimens are alike. About 

 one hundred were preserved. 



Leptodactylus pentadactylus (Laurenti). 

 Latjrenti, Syn. Rept., 1768, p. 32. Boulenger, Cat. Batr. Sal. Brit, nnis., 1882, p. 241. 



This species, with an enormous distribution over the South American main- 

 land, has been recorded from but three West Indian islands, — Dominica, St. 

 Kitts, and St. Lucia. This distribution strongly suggests an artificial introduc- 

 tion as an article of food. It may, however, have been extirpated upon other 

 islands where it once occurred for this very reason. 



As argument against their artificial introduction, we may cite Father Labat, 

 who, in his accurate and engrossing narrative entitled "Nouveau voyage aux 

 iles d'Amerique," &c., (La Haye, 6 vols., 12mo, 1724, and Paris, 8 vols., 12mo, 

 1742), informs us that "On trouve a la Martinique & en quelques-autres Isles, 

 les plus belles Grenoiiilles du monde, on les apelle Crapauds parce qu'elles sont 

 vetues comme les crapauds d'Europe, c'est-a-dire de gris avec des taches ou 

 rayes Jaunes & noires ; elles ne se tiennent pas dans I'eau, mais dans les bois ou 

 elles croassent tres-fort, sur tout la nuit. . . .leur chair est blanche, tendre & 

 delicate on ne jette que la tete." 



Upon Martinique they have perhaps been now exterminated on account 

 of their culinary value. 



