Discoglossiis in the Loioer Miocene of Germany. 83 



one instance. Pherusa^ Bate, is therefore inadmissible, and I 

 propose to substitute the nanie^j>/^er?<5a(a = not) for ^^Pherusa, 

 Bate," on p. 421, 'Annals' for May 1891. 



Alfred O. Walker. 



Nant-y-GlJ^l, Colwyn Bay, 

 June 4, 1891. 



X. — On the Oecurrenco o/'DIscoglossas in the Lower 

 Miocene of Germany. By Gr. A. Boulenger. 



Whilst accidentally looking- at some fossil frogs exhibited in 

 the Geological Galleries of the Natural-History Museum a 

 specimen caught my eye as so closely resembling the living 

 Discoglossus pictus that I determined to submit it to a careful 

 examination. It is described in the recently published fourth 

 part of the ' Catalogue of the Fossil Reptilia and Amphibia ' 

 by Mr. Lydckker as Bana Meriani, H. v. Meyer, with the 

 following particulars : — 



" 35657. Slab of lignite with the impression and some of 

 the bones of a rather smaller skeleton, from Rott. One hume- 

 rus is entire. This specimen agrees very closely in size with 

 the skeleton figured by Meyer, op. cit. pi. xvi. fig. 3. Tlie 

 contour of the soft parts is exhibited. Purchased^ 1859 " *. 



Now Rana Meriani is a true Rana^ closely allied to R. 

 ■esculenfa, as shown by the skull and the vomerine teeth, and 

 as correctly stated by H. v. Meyer, not to R. temporaria, as 

 suggested by Mr. Lydekker. The specimen under considera- 

 tion, on the other hand, is a Discoglossoid, as the arciferous 

 pectoral arch, the impressions of opisthocoelous vertebrse, and 

 the presence of transverse processes to the coccygeal style dis- 

 tinctly indicate. The fourth vertebra even shows, as an 

 impression, one of the ribs which are characteristic of the 

 anterior vertebrae of the Discoglossidfe. 



In all those features which can be distinguished it agrees 

 very closely with the female Discoglossus pictus^ particularly 

 in the following characters : — 



a. The proportions, as shown by the bones and the impres- 

 sion of the soft parts. These are given approximately in the 

 first column in comparison with those of a female Discoglossus 

 pictus from Spain, recorded in the second column. 



* I may add tbat the specimen is exposed ventrally. 



6* 



