NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 115 



Length forelimb 1 3- 



" hand : "^-S 



Width between nares 1'^ 



" " orbits 5- 



" casque, svipeviorly, behind ^■i' 



" " inferiorly, " .. ^6- 



Grayish-brown above, dark-brown below ; a yellow band from chin to 

 breast ; black bands on tarsus and forearm. A black blotch below vent, one 

 above tympanum, one below eye (indistinct on one side), and several smaller 

 ones on edge of upper lip. 



From the Napo and Maranon. 6648. 



Two specimens of two species of this genus in the Museum of Munich are 

 the only ones known in any Museum besides the present one. 



The curious and high degree of ossification of the crania of this and several 

 other Neotropical genera, ajipears to be a defence to the animals possessing it. 

 When killed in spirits they frequently die with the flexor muscles of the head 

 contracted, and the bony front presented like a shield. This is no doubt an 

 important defense against the bite of venomous serpents, which abound in the 

 regions where they occur. This defence appears, however, to be rather a con- 

 sequence of such structure than a cause, in a physiological sense; since the 

 majority of the Anura in the Continental Neotropical region, where they are 

 equally exposed to venomous serpents, do not possess it, while the tree-toads of 

 the West Indian district, where venomous snakes are almost unknown, invari- 

 ably exhibit this extraordinary ossification. 



LiTHODYTES coNSPiciLLATUS. Hylodes cotispicUlatus Giiuther, Br. Z. S. Lond. 

 1859. 

 From the valley of Quito. 



Cystignathus hyl^edactylus Cope, sp. nov. 



A species belonging to the section of the genus characterized by having the 

 vomerine teeth in two arched series on the line of the palatine bones ; the 

 digits without dermal margins, and the belly included in a discoid fold of the 

 derm. 



A vertebral and dorso-lateral dermal fold, and some shorter ones on the 

 sides, but no large warts or glands on the groin. Muzzle ovate, gradually de- 

 scending at extremity, canthus rostralis not strong, contracted. Tibia less than 

 half head and body. Ethmoid not ossified to end muzzle. Brown with a 

 dark-brown band at each dorso-lateral fold, and two dark spots on the anterior 

 half of each side. A dark band from axilla to orbit, from orbit to tip, and 

 between orbits. Fore limbs not, hind limbs scarcely cross-barred; femur mar- 

 bled behind. Belly and throat pale yellow. 



The toes have distinct dilatations at the end, but not the fingers ; all have 

 strong tubercles below ; two minute metatarsal tubercles. Tongue considera- 

 bly free behind and laterally. Vomerine series not extending exterior to inner 

 margin of nares. Tympanum one-half orbit. Wrist not quite to end muzzle ; 

 heel to middle of orbit. 



Total length 11-6 1.; of hind limb 16- 1. ; of gape 3-1 1. ; width head behind 

 4- lines. 



From the Napo or upper Maranon. 



In spite of its dilated toes this is a true Cystignathus. I also place in this 

 genus Hylodes hallowellii Cope, and Platymantis p e ter s i i Steindach- 

 ner. They are closely allied to each other; the latter by no means a {^Platy- 

 mantis) Halophila, a genus which does not occur in the new world. 



BUFO NARICUS Spix. 



From the Napo and Maranon. 



B0FO ANDiANUS Cope. '^ Bufo intermedius Gthr.," Cope, Proc. Ac. N. Sci. Phil. 

 18G2, 376, nee Guenthcrii, hinc Phyrnoidis intermedius Cope, 1. c. 



1868.] 



