174 I\Ir. G. A. Boulenger on 



doubts as to certain alleged facts whicli it seems almost 

 impossible to control, I now propose to contrast some of that 

 author's statements on the breeding-habits of Alyies with my 

 o\Yu observations on this remarkuble batrachian, of which I 

 tbink I may claim to have some exjierience. There are so 

 many ]>oint3 in Kammcrer's accounts which conflict with 

 what I have myself repeatedly observed tliat it may be well 

 to draw attention to some at least, and to submit them to the 

 consideration of biologists who might wish to form their own 

 opinion, sucli cases being selected as may be tested without 

 spending years in experiments — a condition which, as in the 

 well-known instance of the spotted salamander, must surely 

 deter almost anyone from attempting to take up the subject. 



Kammerer has already observed, in reply to criticisms, 

 that specimens compelled to behave imder highly abnormal 

 conditions, such as he has devised, and such as very few will 

 ever have the skill and patience or find the time to repeat, 

 cannot be expected to conform tQ the rule in the natural 

 state; but I think most of the discrepancies I have pointed 

 out in this paper do not admit of such an explanation. The 

 facts on which I rely are derived from observations made in 

 France and in Belgium, but I cannot believe for a moment 

 that Westphalian and ISwiss specimens, on which Kammerer's 

 statements are based, should have habits so different as to 

 account for these discrepancies. 



From tbe days of Demours*, wlio first observed part of 

 the parturition of the midwife toad, and gave a very incom- 

 plete and incorrect account of the operation, up to Kammerer's 

 observations, only A. de Tlsle t> whom I have been able to 

 confirm on all important points :J., and Heron Hoyer § have 

 described this complicated and wonderful act without recourse 



komnien der niclit brutpflegeiiden Alytes obstetricayis,^' op. cit. xxviii, 

 19U9. p. 447. 



3. ' Die Abstammungslehre ' (Jena, 1911), p. 93. 



4. " Meudelscke Kegeii uud Vererbiu'g erworbener Eigenscbafteu," 

 Yerb. Xaturf. Ver. Briiiin, xbx. 1911, p. 73. 



5. " Bemerkunireu zum Laichoescbaft iind der Brutpflege bei der 

 GeburtsbelferJcvot^e,'" Bl. Aq. TerriK. xxv. 1914, p. 250. 



Tbese contributions are referred to under the above numbers. 



* Hist. Ac. Sc. 1741, p. 28. and Mem. Ac. Sc. 1778, p. 13. 



t Ann. Sc. Nat. (3) xx. ]87t5, no. 7. 



X Bull. Ac. Belg. 1912, p. 570, pi. — . Since tbe publication of this 

 paper I bare observed tbe breeding of Alytcs fom* times, from beginning 

 to end. 



§ Bull. Soc. Zool. France, xi. 1S36, p. 675. 



