156 



NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



TREE TOAD, HYLA ARBOREA. 

 A European species. 



delicate shade of coral pink. Another interesting frog was pre- 

 sented to the Society by Mr. William T. Davis. It represents a 

 species found only in a small area in southern New Jersey, and 

 is technically known as Rana virgatipes, Cope. 



The Tree-Frogs or Tree-Toads (Hylidce) are well represented in 

 the collection, and range in size from the tiny " Peeper" {Hyla 

 pickeringii) — the forecaster of spring — to a big West Indian spe- 

 cies that preys upon tree lizards. 



Among the toads the most interesting specimens represent a 

 giant species (Btifo agiia), inhabiting Mexico, Central America, 

 the West Indies, and northern South America. These big, flat- 

 bodied creatures have an enormously developed gland behind each 

 eye and numerous warty points scattered over the back. When the 

 larger head glands are compressed fine jets of a sticky white fluid 

 are ejected some six or eight inches. Quite by accident the writer 

 discovered that this secretion is intensely bitter to the taste. 

 Until a comparatively recent date nothing definite was known 

 about the secretion of such glands, but it has now been demon- 

 strated that if this fluid is injected into the blood of such small 

 animals as guinea-pigs and rabbits the symptoms of poisoning- 



