262 DR. MALCOLM SMITH ON 



prevent their being "cooked" in the sun, and by not overcrowding 

 Ihem in their convej'ance, I have always managed to bring most of them 

 safely home. They have even survived a 200-kiloraetre journey by rail. 



This year I succeeded, v.diere I had hardlj' expected to, in 

 bringing down the tadpoles of Megalophri/s montana from the cool, 

 fresh, mountain streams in the Js'orth, to the sultry plain of Bangkok. 

 This was a three days journey, chiefly by train, and at almost the liot- 

 tesl time of the year. They travelled in an ordinary, lirge-mout.iied, 

 glass jar, provided with a string handle and thickly padded at the sides 

 and below with straw or sacking. By keeping this alwaj's wet, the 

 evaporation prevents the water inside from getting too warm, whilst 

 the padding below helps to lessen the vibration when in the train. 



The amount of knocking about that many of the tadpoles with 

 the Ranid type of mouth will stand is cpiite remarkable, considering 

 how soft all their structures are. I have seen them dropped off 

 verandahs from a considerable height, jolted about in bullock-carts, 

 and, worst of all, tossed on the backs of elephants for days together, 

 yet most of them survived and seemed none the worse for it. 



The literature quoted with each species refers to the tadpole 

 only. 



Rana kuhlii Duni. & Bib. 



1 found this irog exceedingly counnon upon Doi Nga Chang, 

 N. Siam, haunting the streams, and hiding by day beneath the stones 

 in the water. 1 have obtained it also on the hills south of I'rae, 

 but the elevation there is not so great, and it appears to be far less 

 common. 



PESCRirXION OF THE TADPuLE. 



Head and hod.ij. Length 1^ times its breadth, considi^rably 

 flattened both above and below, snout rounded. Nostrils midway 

 between the tip of the snout and the eyes. Eyes about H times as far 

 apart as the nostrils, looking as much upwards as outwards, the portion 

 of the head visible on tlieir outer sides when viewed from above eipial to 

 half tlie interocular sjiace. S[)irauulum sinistral, nearer the e^-u than the 

 vent, not prominent in life. Anus dextrrd. 



Tail. Four times as long as deep, tip bluntly jioinled, cresta . 



JOURN. NAT. HIST. SOC. SUM. 



