BATRACHIA A.X U R A. 45 



forma In capile. Yitta dorsuali lala, fusca, arilice bifurcata ad ex- 

 Iremilalem maculae cephalicae accipienclum. Villa lateraU exirjua, 

 ijrisea, infra quam est villa exiyuior fusco nigrescens; abdominis lateri- 

 el venire marmoralis. 



SPEC. CHAR. Skin above, subtuberculous ; beneath, glandulous. A 

 spear-shaped blotch on the head. A broad, dorsal, deep-brown 

 band, anteriorly bifurcated, to admit the extremity of the cephalic 

 blotch. A lateral, greyish, narrow band, beneath which, another 

 still narrower blackish-brown band. Sides of abdomen and belly 

 marmorated. 



Svx.Ranidella si'yni/era, GRD. in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad. VI, 1853, 422. 



DESCR. This diminutive species, the only one hitherto known of its 

 genus, has a comparatively small and conical head ; when seen from 

 above, it is depressed as usual, forming about the third of the length, 

 the limbs excluded. The snout is rounded. The nostrils are quite 

 small and subelliptical, almost equidistant between the anterior rim of 

 the eyes and the margin of the upper jaw, rather nearer the former 

 than the latter. The eyes, themselves, are elliptical, prominent; their 

 longitudinal diameter being equal to the distance between their ante- 

 rior rim and the tip of the snout. The interocular space is somewhat 

 wider than the upper lid. The tympanum is entirely hid under the 

 skin. The mouth is deeply cleft ; the tongue is elongated, subcylin- 

 drical, narrowest anteriorly, free posteriorly, for about the third of its 

 length, and showing but a very obsolete indentation. The inner 

 nostrils are subcircular, quite conspicuous, situated towards the edges 

 of the roof of the palate. The openings of the Eustachian tubes are 

 minute, scarcely perceptible. The maxillary teeth are exceedingly 

 small. The symphysis of the upper jaw is entire ; that of the lower 

 jaw is provided with a very small knob. 



The body is elongated, raniform, subcylindrical, somewhat depressed. 

 The anterior legs, when inclined backwards, reach the groins with the 

 tip of the fingers. These, as well as the toes, are free, subcylin- 

 drical, tapering into a point, and provided under their articulations 

 with small tubercles. The first finger is shorter than the second, 

 which is longer than the fourth ; the third is conspicuously the longest. 



The palm of the hand is rugose ; there are two metacarpal tubercles 



12 



