LIXXEAN .SOCIliTY OF LONDOX. 9 I 



This was apparently Cope's view, and Gadow suggests ('oi, 

 p. 14^3) that tiie Firmisternia may prove to be a poiyphyletic 

 assemblage. 



Furtlier, the Anura are known as a very modern and wonder- 

 fully plastic group. It is to be expected, therefore, that there 

 should be found persisting forms which appear to connect the 

 several groups. The difKculty that is experienced in attempting 

 to draw hard and fust lines between the different families suggests 

 that our classification is, in the main, a natural one and does not 

 represent merelv a convenient key as Gadow is prepared to believe 

 ('oi,p. 143). 



Thus tiie Pelobatid Megahphri/s with its occasional opistho- 

 ccelous centra serves as a link with the Disooglossidse, a link 

 wliich is strengthened by the invariable occurrence in the other- 

 wise very variable Bomhinator of but a single coccygeal condyle. 

 On the other hand, Pelodytes seems to connect the Anouiocoela 

 \\'\i\\ the Procoela. Eliomhopliryne and Atelopus, too, may be 

 considered either as ProcoBia in which the consolidation of the 

 sternal apparatus (foreshadowed in the Bufonide, lildnoplirynt, 

 and Myohatrcu-lms) has become an accomplished fact, or as Firmi- 

 sternia in which the Diplasiocoelous condition has not yet been 

 attained. 



1 desire to take this opportunity to express my thanks to 

 Mr. Boulenger for directing my attention to certain of the 

 literature, and to Professor Deudy for much valuable criticism. 



LlTEEATUBE. 



1907. Bebdard, F. E. — "Note upon the Anatomy of a Species of 

 Frog of the Genus Megalophrys, &c." Proc. Zool. Soc. 

 1907, vol. i. 



1885. Blaxciiard, E. — " Remarques sur la Classification des 



Batraciens Anoures." Bull. Soc. Zool. France, 1885. 

 1882. Boulenger, G. A. — Catalogue of the Batrachia Salientia 



s. Ecaudata in the Collection of the British Museum. 



London, 1^82. 

 1887. Boulenger, G. A. — "On a rare Himalayan Toad, Coplw- 



phryne sikhimensis, Blytli." Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (3) 



vol. XX., 1887. 

 1897. Boulenger, G. A. — The Tailless Batrachia of Europe. 



Eay Society, 1897. 

 1903. Boulenger, G. A. — " Description of three new Batrachians 



from Tonkin." Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (7) vol. xii., 19U3. 



1908. Boulenger, G. A.- — "A lievisiou of the Oriental Pelobatid 

 Batrachians (Genus Meyalophrys)." Proc. Zool. Soc. 

 1908. 



1866. Cope, E. D. — "On the Structure and Distribution of the 

 Genera of the Arciferous Anura.'" Journ. Acad. Se. Philad. 

 vol. vi., 18GG. 



