Mr. G. A. Boulenffcr cr: American Batrachians. 453 



'ti 



LIII. — Notes on American Batrachians. 

 By G. A. BOULENGER. 



Rana cantahrigensis, Baird. 



I have no hesitation in pronouncing R. cantabrigensis lati- 

 remis, B. c. cantabrigensis, and B. c. evittata of Cope (Batr. 

 N. Am. 1889, p. 435) to represent individual variations of 

 one species, which, as I have stated before (Bull. Soc. Zool. 

 France, 1879, p. 162), is the North- American representative 

 of the European B. arvalis. The first " form " represents 

 the breeding male, the second the striped individuals, the 

 third the specimens without stripes, females and males post 

 niqytias. The establishment of " subspecies " or " varieties" 

 of this kind, and such innovations as the reference of B. aurora 

 to B. agilis, are not likely to advance our knowledge, and I 

 must frankly say it is a matter of regret that the extensive 

 material in the United- States Museum should not have 

 received more careful treatment at the hands of Prof. Cope, 

 who does not even take the trouble of ascertaining the sexes 

 of the specimens he describes. 



The whole question of the North-American Bance tempo- 

 rarice is much in want of a thorough revision. In the mean- 

 while, after studying Cope's latest work, I adhere to my 

 former classification of the North-American forms in four 

 species, viz.: — 1. B. Draytoni, B. & G.* {=-aurora, B. & G., 

 nigricans, Hallow., Boylii, Baird, longipes, Hallow., pacliy- 

 derma, Cope) ; 2. B. pretiosa, B. & G. ; 3. B. cantabrigensis, 

 Baird ; 4. B. silvatica, Leconte. 



Bana palmipes, Spix. 



Bana clamata, var. guianensis, Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac. 

 1863, p. 412, is another name to add to the synonymy of 

 this species. 



Engystoma carolinense, Ilolbr. 



I have examined the type specimen of Engystoma rugosum, 

 D. & B., and refer it to E. carolinense. 



Leptodactylus prognathus, Blgr. 



Three specimens from Buenos Ayres are preserved in the 

 Copenhagen Museum. 



* 1852, not 1862, as misprinted in my Catalogue and again in Cope's 

 work. 



