THE SYSTEMATIC VALUE OF RANA CHINENSIS OSBECK 83 



fluence of surroundings and climatic conditions then co-operated in 

 the formation of the longer hind limb and with it the greater facil- 

 ity to leap. This opinion of mine differs very essentially from 

 WolterstorlT's (17, p. 139) who wishes to prove by the Chinese 

 frog's example the way in which a former leaping-frog gradually 

 transformed itself into a burrowing-frog. He mentions as an ex- 

 ample the Pelobates genus, which he believes to have originated in 

 that same manner. 



This seems refuted according to my opinion by the very fact of 

 such frogs, as bearing the ancestral characteristic features — (as the 

 Pelobates for instance) — being none of them agile leapers in opposi- 

 tion to the undoubtedly younger race of Ranae fuscae, of which 

 every representative is most dexterous in leaping. 



LITERATURE 



1. Bedriaga, J. V. 



1898. Wisseuschaftliche Resultate der von Przewalski nach Central- 

 Asien unter nommenen Reisen. — III. Bd. 1. Abth., Amphibien 

 u. Reptilien, Lief. 1. St. Petersburg. 



2. Bolkay, S. 



1907. Adatok Gonior-Kishont varmzye herpetolo-ziajshoz — Allattain 



Kozlemenyek, VI. 



3. 1907. A tair beka (Rana ridibunda Pall.) faji jogosultsojs. Allat- 



tain Kozlenieuyek VI. 



4. Bolkay, St. V. 



1908. Uber die Artberechtizung des Flussfrosches (Raus ridibunda 

 Pall— )"Lacerta" No. 13. "Wochenschrift," V. Jahrz. 



5. Boulenger, G. A. 



1882. Catalogue of the Batrachia Salientia in the collection of the Brit- 

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6. 1891 A Contribution to the Knowledge of the races of Rana esculenta 



and their geographical Distribution. Proc. Zool. Soc, London. 



7. 1896-1897. The Tailless Batrachians of Europe, I., II., London. 



8. Cope. 



1868. Second supplement on some new Raniformia of the Old World. 

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9. Hallowell 



1860. Rep. upon the Rept. of the North Pacific Exploration. Proc. 

 Phila. Acad Nat. Sci. 



10. Lataste, F. 



1880. Batrachiens et Reptiles recueillis en chine por M. V. Collin de 

 Plancy. Bull, de la Soc. Zool. de France. 



11. Maack, 



1859. Voy Amour. 



