BY DENE B. FRY. 71 



australiaca and that described a century later by Mr. J. 

 J. Fletcher as Philocryphus flavoguttatus . In comparison 

 to recent figures Shaw's figure is of course very crude, 

 but it permits of identification just as well as the figures 

 of Rana cosrulea, Coluber porphyriacus, etc., which form 

 the basis of present recognised species. As will be shown 

 later the two frogs are almost certainly identical, so that 

 no course is open but to replace Fletcher's well founded 

 name. This is to be regretted, for Rana australiaca was 

 founded on a drawing sent to Dr. Shaw from New Holland 

 and no specimen type exists, while the types of Philo- 

 cryphus are beautifully preserved specimens in Mr. Fletcher's 

 private collection. 



As Shaw's work (Nat. Misc.) is rare and not easily 

 accessible the concise description and remarks are here 

 given in toto : — 



RANA AUSTRALIACA. 



Character Genericus. 

 Corpus tetrapodum, ecaudatum, nudum. 



Linn. Syst. Nat., p. 354. 

 Character Specif icus. 



RANA FUSCA, subtus caerulescens, lateribus gilvo 

 punctatis, digitis anterioni us spinosis. 



On the following page, not numbered, facing plate 

 200, Dr. Shaw remarks : — 



" This animal certainly cannot be numbered amongst 

 the most beautiful of its genus : it is a species, however, 

 which has never before been described, and is more par- 

 ticularly interesting from the circumstances of its being 

 a native of the distant regions of New Holland, which has 

 added so many zoological treasures to the cabinets of 

 natural history. Its rarity must, therefore, apologise 

 for its deformity." 



