10 THE ANOURA OF NEW BRUNSWICK. 



species, which upon closer study may be found to consist of at 

 least two sul)species. 



Of the Hylidse less is known. Small, shy, and assuming to 

 a large extent the colour of their surroundings, they are difficult 

 to collect, and our knowledge of them is not sufficiently exten- 

 sive and definite to warrant any conclusion about the number of 

 species actually occurring. Two are fairly well known ; and 

 probably a third and exceedingly rare species also occurs. 



BUFONID^. 



(The Toads.) 



Bufo {lentiginosus) Amen'canus Le Conte. 



Common Toad. 



This is the only representative of the family here, and is 

 regarded by some herpetologists as a subspecies of ^. lentiginosus 

 proper, a more southern form. The latter varies greatly through- 

 out its range, as many as four subspecies having been described 

 and named, and even here the species exhibits much variation, 

 not confined always to superficial characters such as colour, 

 rugosity, and regularity of marking, but extending to deeper and 

 more structural features, as proportion ot parts and development 

 of cranial crests and ridges. In many instances the superciliary 

 ridges converge posteriorly and the approximations are marked 

 by knobs, something after the manner of B. I. tvoodhousei Baird; 

 but as a rule the inward projection of the pootorbital ridges is 

 well marked. 



Coloration variable, running from almost black to yellowish 

 grey, the former characteristic of specimens from dam}) locali- 

 ties or dark surfaces. 



Reproduction similar to that t)f frogs, but eggs laid later and 

 in strings instead of masses ; tadpoles small and black, and lar- 

 val period short. Indeed metamorphosis so hastened by lack 

 of water as to point to possibility of development from ova in 

 air alone. 



Voice a prolonged sonorous thrill, during breeding Feaeon 

 and Avarm nights all summer. 



Uniformly distributed over New Brunswick and all the 



