8o The Naturalist in La Plata. 



to a level with the head, closing the eyes completely, 

 and giving the creature the appearance of being 

 eyeless. The upper jaw is armed with minute 

 teeth, and there are two teeth in the centre of the 

 lower jaw, the remaining portions of the jaw being 

 armed with two exceedingly sharp-edged bony 

 plates. In place of a tongue, it has a round 



: I^OIM! 



- . .^M^T 1 





Ceratophrys- ornata. 



muscular process with a rough flat disc the size of a 

 halfpenny. 



It is common all over the pampas, ranging as far 

 south as the Rio Colorado in Patagonia. In the 

 breeding season it congregates in pools, and one is 

 then struck by their extraordinary vocal powers, 

 which they exercise by night. The performance in 

 no way resembles the series of percussive sounds 

 uttered by most batrachians. The notes it utters 



