88 BATRACHIA. 



6. BUFO THAUL, Less. 

 (Plate V, figs. 15-19.) 



SPEC. CHAR. Upper surface of head even ; canthus rostralis swollen. 

 Parotids moderate. Tympanum small. A membranous tarsal fold. 

 Toes semi-palmated. Skin tuberculous, greyish-brown above, spotted. 

 Beneath whitish, maculated. 



SYN. Bnfo (haul, LESS. Voy. Coq. Zool. II, i, 1830, 63, PI. vn, fig. 6. (Nee Rana 

 thaul, MOLINA, Hist, de Chile, I, 1788, 194.)- TSCH. Faun. Peruan. Herp. 1845, 

 19. 



Bufo chilemis, DUM. & B. Erp. gen. VIII, 1841, 678. (In part.) 



OBSERV. There is, perhaps, no species the synonymy of which is 

 more intricate and more difficult to elucidate than the present one. 



Rana thaul, of Molina (vid. Synonymy), is still wrapped up in ob- 

 scurity, and ought to be made the subject of careful researches by 

 either travelling or resident naturalists. Schneider (Hist. Amph. I, 

 1799, 227), refers it with doubt to the genus Bufo. Daudin (Hist. 

 des Rain. Gren. & Crap. 69, & Hist. nnt. des Kept. VIII, 136), and 

 Merrern (Tent. Syst. Amph. 1820, 182), have copied Schneider. 

 Lesson figures and describes, under the name of B. thaul, a species of 

 toad widely distinct from R. thaul, of Molina. Tschudi, himself, 

 seems to have understood the subject, since he omits the references 

 anterior to Lesson's ; but Tschudi ought to have given a new name 

 to the present species, in order to avoid any further misunderstanding. 



We must repeat here, what we have already stated under the head 

 of Pleurodema bibroni, that the description of B. thaul in the letter- 

 press of the Zoology of the " Voyage de la Coquille" is under the head 

 of B. arunco. The references to the figures are likewise transposed. 



DESCR. Out of nine specimens, collected by the Expedition, the 

 largest was but one inch in total length, the legs excluded. The 

 head is broader than long, subtriangular, flattened above, declivous on 

 the snout, which is rounded. The canthus rostralis is well developed, 

 sending downwards a small ridge in advance of the eye, which does not, 

 however, extend as far as the inferior rim of the orbit. The nostrils 



