374 Mr. G. A. Boulenger on the Genus Phryniscus. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE IX. 



Fiy. 1. Acanthaspis prumensis, Traq. Natural size. 

 Fiy. 2. Euphy 'acanthus semistriattis, Traq. Slender form ; natural size. 

 Fig. 3. The same. Stout form. Natural size. 

 Fiy. 4. The same. Portion of the posterior area ; magnified. 

 Fig. 5. The same. Posterior denticles ; magnified. 

 Fig. 6. The same. Outline of transverse section ; magnified. 

 Fig. 7. Acanthodopsis microdon, Traq. One half larger than natural size. 

 Fir/. 8. Harpacanthus major, Traq. Natural size. 



Fiy. 9. Eurylepis anylica, Traq. Greater part of cranial roof ; magnified 

 two diameters. 



XLVI. — On the Genus Phryniscus of Wiegmann. 

 By G. A. Boulenger, F.R.S. 



The last number of Hilgendorf's ' Archiv fur Natur- 

 ge.schichte ' (lx. i. Heft 2) contains an article by Dr. R. A. 

 Philippi, of Santiago, entitled "Phryniscus Bibron ist nicht 

 Phryniscus Wiegmann," a proposition which everyone who 

 carefully compares the original descriptions will readily 

 endorse. It has been my fault to follow tradition in applying 

 the name Phryniscus to a genus of frogs for which it was not 

 originally intended. I am therefore bound to tender an 

 apology for not having detected before the error into which 

 all my predecessors had fallen, and to offer some further 

 remarks on this matter of nomenclature, which it is desirable 

 to settle with a full knowledge of the literature, which, unfor- 

 tunately, Dr. Philippi does not appear to possess. 



I am all the better able to give an opinion on the matter, 

 as the British Museum is now in possession of specimens of 

 the true Phryniscus nigricans of Wiegmann, collected at 

 Tarapac&, Chili, by Mr. Lane, and presented by the late 

 Mr. H. B. James. This Batrachian bears no relation to the 

 Eastern form currently named Phryniscus nigricans, D. & B. ; 

 it is a Bufo, closely allied to B. variegatus } Gthr., which is 

 the type of Giinther's genus Nannophryne (1870), a name 

 which is therefore a strict synonym of Phryniscus (1834). 

 But as I cannot regard, in this case, the absence of a tym- 

 panum as a character justifying generic separation, Phryniscus 

 must lapse into the synonymy of Bufo, Laur. (1768), and 

 Phryniscus nigricans should be called Bufo nigricans. 



As to the Engystomatoid genus which has hitherto passed 

 under the name of Phryniscus, it is clear that it must 

 receive that of Atelopus, Dumeril and Bibron (1811)*, 



* This name has priority over that of the fish-genus Ateleopus, Schleg. 

 (184b). 



