1920.] G. A. BouLEN'GER : Frogs of the Genus Rana. lOi 



I. Matheran, Bombay. 2. Canara. 3 — 9. Cannanore, Malabar. 10 — 11. 

 Malabar (Paris Museum, types). 12 — 14 Malabar. 15. Goa (Indian Museum). 



Habitat. Western India, from Bombay to Malabar. 



[This frog is by no means confined to hilly country, though 

 most abundant at the base of hill-ranges. It does not ascend to 

 high altitudes. I have not seen it on the Nilgiri plateau, but it 

 breeds in streams running into the gorge of the Bhavani River at 

 the base of the Nilgiris. The tadpoles live in the stiller pools of 

 small rocky streams in fairly level ground but as a rule shaded by 

 dense jungle. N.A.'] 



This species, together with the African R. galamensis, D. and B., 

 which is very closel}^ allied to it, occupies an isolated position in 

 the subgenus Rana. The forked condition of the omosternum pre- 

 cludes our considering them as links between Rana and Hylorana. 



Subgenus Tomopterna, 



Dum. et Bibr., Erp. Gen, VIII, p. 443 (1841)- 



Vomerine teeth in small groups or short series between or 

 just behind the choanae. Fingers and toes not dilated at the tip ; 

 outer metatarsals bound together or separated in the distal third 

 or fourth only. Zygomatic branch of the squamosal very short. 

 Precoracoids strong, straight ; omosternal style forked at the base 

 in the Indian species. Terminal phalanges obtuse. 



Burrowing, more or less toad-like forms, with large head and 

 compressed inner metatarsal tubercle, clearly derived from the 

 group embracing Rana tigrina and R. limnocharis. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. First finger longer than second ; tympanum | to | diameter of eye. 

 Snout as long as or a little shorter than eye ; first finger 

 a little longer than second, much shorter than third ; 

 tibio-tarsal articulation reaching tympanum or 

 posterior border of eye ; tibia 3 to 3I times as long 

 as broad, 2^^ to 2| times in length from snout to 

 vent ; toes ^ to ^ webbed ; outer metatarsals sepa- 

 rated in the distal third or fourth; inner metatarsal 



