234 Georgina Siveet : 



It is, I think, evident that here we have exactly what Spensjel 

 [Spengel, '77] and Meyer have described in Rana, viz., that the 

 nephro^tomes open into the ith part of the uriniferous tubules, 

 and that two or more funnels may open into one tubule and vice 

 versa. It is curious that after 20 years, during which time no 

 one has confirmed Spengel's and Meyer's work, but on the con- 

 trary everyone has shown it not to be true in the generality of 

 cases, one should come across a similar condition evidently as a 

 passing stage in a form such as Notaden belonging to quite u 

 different group of the Anura. 



Forms of Notaden bennetti have been examined from New 

 South Wales as well as Central Australia. The de>criptin]i 

 above given refers to the Central Australian form. There is ))i) 

 comparison in the amount of blood supply in the two sets of 

 forms, the New South Wales form Ijeing practically normal as 

 regards its general vascularity, though there is still a lack of 

 supporting tissue, and a tendency to a central arrangement of 

 large venous spaces such as are so nuiirked in the Central Aus- 

 tralian form of Notaden, and to a less extent in Heleioporus, 

 as will be i-een later. It should be added, however, that in the 

 New South Wales, as well as the Central Australian forms, the 

 various types of nephrostomial tubules are present, although 

 the total number of external nephrostome openings is very 

 much less. 



Notaden, it may l)e rememl)ered. is one of the burrowing 

 forms met with frequently in Northern Central Australia, where 

 during the drought season they remain underground, in per- 

 manent burrows, having first filled themselves out with water 

 [Spencer, '96, pp. 159, 1().'), etc.]. This water is a.pparently 

 taken in through the mouth, and jirobably through the skin 

 also, during the time of plentiful water, being then absorbed 

 into the vai^cular system, and excreted V\y the kidneys, passing 

 into the urinar}^ bladder. It will be found that in the Report 

 of the Horn Expediton [loc cit.] I'rofessor Baldwin Spencer 

 has described this water as l)eing in the body-cavity of these 

 frogs, but he informs me that on subsequent visits to Central 

 Australia and di>section of a considerable number of forms, he 

 has discovered that it is stored in the urinary bladder and not 

 in the bod)' cavity. In Notaden bennetti there is always a con- 



