10 



xiphisternum {xst), tlie latter being like the omodernum only partly ossified. 

 The glenoid cavity, which receives the head of the humerus is formed by the 

 toracoid, prcecoracoid, and scapula. 



6. The anterior extremity (pi. II, 5) is made up of the humerus {h), 

 radius and ulna (rul), which are fused into a single bone, carpus (cp), meta- 

 carpus {rnc2}), and phalanges (ph). The functional digits of the manus are 

 four in number, but there is, in addition, a very rudimentary representative 

 of a thumb or pollex, corresponding to the hallux of the pes. 



The Engydomidw, which, like the Eanidse, belong to the " Firmi- 

 sternal " series, but have no maxillary teeth and have the transverse 

 processes of the sacral vertebra dilated^ are represented in Southern 

 India by the genera Melanohatrachus, of which only one species {31. 

 indicHs), recorded by Colonel Beddome from the Anamallaj's, is known, 

 Microhyla, Cnllula, and Cacopus, of which the last named contains the 

 unsightly Cacopus ylohidosns. " This family," Boulenger writes,^ 

 "includes terrestrial, aquatic and burrowing types, but no arboreal — 

 Calhi/a, Brachynieriis, and others generally regarded as ' tree frogs,' 

 being merely aquatic or terrestrial in spite of their digital dilatations. 

 For the purpose of burrrowing, either the hind pair of limbs {Hypo- 

 pachus, Glyphofjlossus, Cacopus, Breinceps, Sfc), or the front pair {Ilemisus) 

 are particularly strengthened and provided with a corneous sheath. 



In the last-named genera, the mouth is very narrow, and those frogs 

 may be considered " ant-eaters," similarly as the bufonid genus " H/iino- 

 phrynus." 



The specimen of Caccpus glohulosus in the Madras Museum, which 

 was captured at Russellkonda, has its stomach distended with an enor- 

 mous mass of winged " white ants." 



The Bufonidm belong to the " Arciferous" series {v. p. 9), and, like the 

 Engydomidce, have no maxillary teeth, and the transverse processes or 

 diapophyses of the sacral vertebra are dilated. They are represented in 

 Southern India by a single species of Nectophryne and by several species 

 of Biifo, of which the most common is the familiar house toad {Bufo 

 wel CHIOS f ictus), concerning which Sir J. Emerson Tennent writes ^ : — 

 " The belief in its venomous nature is as old as the third century 

 B.C., when the Mahawanso mentions that the wife of King Asoka 

 attempted to destroy the great Bo tree at Magadha with the poisoned 

 fang of a toad." 



The limbless Batrachians (Apoda), of which the males have an 

 intromittent copulatory organ consisting of the eversible cloaca which is 

 regulated by well- developed muscles, are represented in Southern India 

 by two genera, Ichthyophis and Urceotyphlus, long worm-like burrowing 

 animals, which belong to the family Coeciliidse. "In these Batra- 

 chians," says Giinther,^ " a tail is absent or extremely short. The skin 

 is smooth and viscous, forming numerous annular folds ; transverse 

 series of rudimentary scales are imbedded in these folds, especially in 

 those of the posterior part of the body. 



" Their eyes are rudimentary, more or less hidden below the skin. 

 " They constantly live below ground, burrowing like worms ; their 

 food appears to consist of mould and worms. The metamorphosis is less 

 complete than in the two previous orders (tailless and tailed Batra- 



1 Cat. Btr. sal. 1882, p. 147. ^ Ceylon. 1860, vol. I, p. 202. 



3 Kept. Brit. Ind. 1864, p. 440. 



