TONGUELESS. FROGS. 355 
The Smooth Spur-toed Frog (X. /evis), which measures 2in. from 
snout to vent, is found from Abyssinia to the Cape of Good Hope. 
It has a small head, an eye with round pupil, teeth in the upper 
jaw, a smooth palate, and a short, rounded snout ;, no tympanum ; 
free fingers, and toes which are broadly webbed, the first three 
inner ones being furnished with a sharp spur-like nail; the 
nostrils, as well as the small eyes, pointing upwards; the skin 
smooth and marked round the body with more or less distinct 
tube-like lines. The colour above is dark brown, and below 
white, either immaculate or spotted with brown. The females are 
distinguished by the possession of three flaps which close the vent. 
The Surinam Toad (Pipa Americana) is chiefly famous because 
of its extraordinary manner of reproduction. It is the only 
representative of its family (Pipide). Marie Sibille Merian was 
one of the first to describe this strange Batrachian. This lady 
wrote a book, which was published in 1726, on the “ Insects of 
Surinam,” and in it she speaks of P. Americana. The Toad is a 
native of the forests of the Guianas and Brazil. About two years 
ago some specimens of this creature were brought to England, 
and were exhibited at the Reptile House, Regent’s Park, London, 
where they excited a great deal of interest. There I saw them, 
and learnt what I could concerning them. It is hardly necessary 
to say that I have never been the fortunate possessor of a Surinam 
Toad; but as this animal is so curious in its habits, so extra- 
ordinary in its appearance, and will probably be imported into 
this country from time to time, a short description of it here will 
not be, I hope, out of place. 
At the commencement of the breeding season the skin of the 
back of the female Surinam Toad becomes very soft and very 
thick. She deposits her eggs singly in the water, and then the 
male, it is supposed, takes them one by one and embeds them in 
this softened skin, which presently covers them, and so each egg 
is enclosed, as it were, in a separate cell, where they remain until 
the metamorphosis is completed. 
The eggs are said to number from sixty to 120. In about 
eighty-two days, from the time the egg was laid, the little Pipa, 
perfectly formed like its parent, leaves its cell, having first pro- 
truded either a limb or its head. 
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