18 Records of the Indian Museum. [Vol. XV, 



Measurements of a specimen with the hind legs well-developed : — 



Total length 



Length of head and body 

 Breadth of head and body 

 Depth of body . 

 Greatest depth of tail 



mm. 

 27-5 

 11 



7 



5 



4 



Specimens of this tadpole were found in an isolated pool in a rock 

 beside a stream in the Cochin forests in September, 1914. Although 

 it occurs in hill-country, the species probably does not breed as a rule 

 in streams, for the larva is normal and not of any of the tvpes 

 commonly associated with life in running water. 



In oeneral appearance and structure the tadpole resembles that 

 of Rana limnocharis, but it is stouter and has a relatively shorter tail. 



Distribution. — Jungles of the southern part of the Malabar zone. 



Specimens of larvae in the collection of the Indian Museum : — 



17659-60. Parambikulam, 1700-3200 ft.. Cochin State {F. H. Gravely). 



Rana beddomei (Giinther) 



(Plate I, figs. 4, 4a, 46.) 

 Boulenger, op. cit., p. 453. 



The tadpole is small and very slender ; the branchial region is pro- 

 minent on either side ; the head and body are narrowly oval ; the snout 

 is pointed and declivous ; the eyes are situated on the dorsal surface 

 and directed upwards ; they are very large and prominent ; the nostril, 

 which is small and inconspicuous, is nearer to the eye than to the tip 

 of the snout. The spiracle, which is not at all tubular but small and 

 slit-like, is situated on the lower part of the left side of the body and is 

 directed outwards and a little backwards ; it is rather nearer to the eye 

 than to the posterior edge of the body. On the dorsal surface a narrow 

 groove extends inwards in a slanting direction from near the middle 

 of each eye to meet its fellow on the opposite side ; the combined groove 

 extends backwards from a line joining the posterior third of the eyes 

 as far as the base of the dorsal fin. 



The mouth-disk is broadly triangular, entirely ventral in position ; 

 the upper lip, which is devoid of tubercles, is very distinct from the 

 lower ; it is narrowly but deeply notched in the middle line ; the lower 

 lip has a marginal fringe of minute tubercles. The dental formula is 

 1 + 1: 1:2-1-2/2+2:2; the outermost row of teeth on the upper lip 

 is situated on its margin ; the beak is narrow and prominent, strongly 

 hooked like that of a parrot ; both the upper and the lower beaks are 

 entirely black and have smooth edges. 



The tail is extremely long and slender, and has, even in the young 

 tadpole, the fin-membranes very poorly developed ; the muscular part 

 tapers gradually to a fine point ; the dorsal membrane consists of a low 

 ridge very inconspicuous on the anterior half of the tail ; the ventral 

 membrane is slightly better developed but also vestigial. The amis 



