LINNE.VN SOCIETY OF LONDON. 8 1 



I recommeud, therefore, that the term " Procoelous " be re- 

 stricted to vertebral columns of the Bufouid type in which all 

 of the centra are hollow in front. For those vertebral columns, 

 hitherto described as procoelous, which have only the first seven 

 vertebral centra hollow in front, the eighth hollow upon both 

 faces and the ninth doubly convex, I propose that the term 

 " Dlplasioccelous " (which has been suggested to me by 

 Mr. Boulenger) should be employed. 



AVhen, in 1914, I recorded the existence of a uniformly pro- 

 ca3lous condition in Bufo, I assumed, mistakenly as it now 

 appears, that this type of vertebral column might be found to 

 be confined to that genus. That such a condition could be of 

 >videspread occurrence seemed incredible in view of the authori- 

 tative statement above quoted. 



Recently, however, I have been enabled, by the kindness of 

 Mr. Boulenger, to examine ])ractically the entire collection 

 of Anuran skeletons in the British Museum. This material 

 includes, in addition to some eight specimens of Aglosoa 

 (Xeiiopns heuis [4] *, X. calcaratus, H ijmenochirus boettijeri, and 

 Pipa americana [2]), nearly two hundred examples of the 

 Phanerogiossa. To these must be added about fifty specimens 

 representing nine species which are in the teaching collections 

 of King's College and the Agra College and in my own possession. 

 The vertebral columns of more than one hundred and fifty com- 

 mon frogs {R. temporaria) were also examined in this connection. 

 In all, there were examined over four hundred vertebral columns 

 of some fifty gen(-ra of Anura. 



The Discoglossidae were represented by nearly a dozen speci- 

 mens (Disco[/lossus pictus [5], Bomhiaator v/neus [3J, Ali/tes 

 ohstetricans [3]), and were found to be, without exception, 

 normally opisthoccelous. 



Of the Pelobatidae, I have examined fourteen specimens of 

 the genera Mer/aloplirys (J/, montana [2], 21. nasuta [2], M. feci', 

 M. longipes), Pelobates (P. fnscus [0]), Scajthiopus sulitarlus, 

 Peloclijtes punctatus, and Palceobatrachus sp. Of these all were 

 uniformly procoelous excepting two individuals of Meijalopltrijs 

 (J/, montana, M. nasuta), which were opisthoccelous. 



The families Hylidae, Bufonidte, and Cystignathida3 were, with- 

 out exception, characterized by the possession of a procceloiis 

 {stricttt sensii) vertebral column. The Hylidaj examined were 

 Nyla {H. venulosa [2], H. dolichopsis [2], H. gratiosa, H. macrops, 

 H. lichenata, H. taurina, H. ccerulea [2], H. aurea [2], H.faba^ 

 H. arborea [3], If. jiulchella [2], B. maxima, If. versicolor, 

 H. baudina, H. boans), Nototrema {N. marsupiatum [2]), and 

 Pliyllomedusa (P. dacnicolor [2] and P. burmeisteri). Except for 

 a single specimen of Nectophryne Jiosii, all of the Bufonidae 

 examined belonged to a single genus, Bufo. The species included 

 B. marinus [3 J, B. quadriporcatas, B.vuhjaris [Sj, B. culamita [21, 



* Tlie numerals in [ ] indicate the niuuber of specimens of eacli species 

 examined. 



LINN. SOC. PROCEEDINGS. — SESSION lUlo-lOlfi. a 



