12 University of Michigan 



water and were carried down the brook, striking out lazily 

 until they reached some chance refuge. They were easily 

 caught, and we preserved nearly fifty examples. This series 

 shows almost no variation in color, also no marked structural 

 differences from varius, but it lacks the inherent quality of 

 varius, which is variability. A. spiirrelli Boulenger (P. Z. S., 

 1914, p. 813, pi. I, fig. i) is probably related, but is known, 

 however, from only a single specimen, so it is impossible to 

 do more than suggest that possibly the A. varius stock may 

 have given rise to some local types in the great Chocoan forest 

 region in which a fixity of color pattern has been attained 

 The coloration, too, is unique and striking. 



Atelopus spurrelli certus, subsp. nov. 

 Type: M. C. Z. 8,538, from a stream on Mt. Sapo, east' 

 ern Panama. Barbour and Brooks, 1922. Paratypes in M. 

 C. Z. and the A. M. N. H. 



Similar to A. s. spurrelli as described and figured by Bou- 

 lenger, but with the dark dorsal areas broken up into series 

 of spots and blotches, with, nevertheless, the underlying 

 topography being preserved in almost every case. 



The belly has a tendency to be more finely spotted in the 

 males and almost immaculate in the females; in which sex 

 also the dorsal dark patches are much more finely comminuted 

 than in the males. 



The creature is brick red, almost vermillion, in life, with 

 the dark spots velvety black. In alcohol this ground color 

 has faded to whitish on the belly and to a pallid reddish hue 

 on the light dorsal interspace between the black blotches which 

 have remained essentially unchanged. 



Noble, after examining some of our series, declared them 

 to be A. varius pure and simple, and we marvel at our own 



