RATRACHIA ANOURA. 1Q1 



gated and narrow, posteriorly rounded, and free for almost the half 

 of its length. There are no parotid glands. 



The body is broader than deep, subovoid in shape, when viewed 

 from above. The limbs are very slender, and the fingers tapering. 

 The anterior legs, when stretched alongside the trunk, do not reach 

 the posterior extremity of the body, although they extend beyond the 

 groins. The fourth finger is indicated exteriorly by a small knob; the 

 first by a minute point. The second is better developed, half the 

 length of the third, which is depressed, and the most conspicuous of 

 all. No membrane uniting the fingers. The palm of the hand is 

 smooth, and upon its base may be seen a rudimentary, metacarpal 

 tubercle. The hind legs are a little longer than the body and head 

 together. The first and fifth toes are rudimentary, like the fourth 

 finger ; the second toe is half the length of the third, and the latter 

 is half the length of the fourth, which is conspicuously the longest ; 

 the third and fourth are subtuberculous under their articulations. 

 The sole of the feet is smooth ; there are no metatarsal tubercles, not 

 even in a rudimentary state. 



The upper surface of the head is covered by an osseous shield, leav- 

 ing the extremity of the snout naked. An osseous, rounded protu- 

 berance may be seen at the place occupied by the parotids, when the 

 latter exist, and contiguous to the cephalic shield. Across the ante- 

 rior part of the back is a large saddle-like shield, of the same osseous 

 nature, in advance of which, on the middle line of the body, is a small 

 subcordiform plate. Sometimes two or three of these small plates are 

 seen in a longitudinal series. There are other instances of fragmentary 

 pieces posteriorly to the saddle-like piece, but evidently detached from 

 the latter, which, itself, is subjected to some variations of outline. 

 The remaining portion of the back not occupied by the shields is 

 covered by a smooth skin, exhibiting occasionally some small tubercles 

 in longitudinal series. The skin over the legs is perfectly smooth. 

 The sides of the abdomen are glandulous, as also the posterior portion 

 of the thighs. The skin on the inferior surface of the head and the 

 belly is glandulous. 



The color is of a uniform orange. 



Specimens of this species were collected at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 

 in December, 1838, when a drawing from life was made by Mr. 

 Joseph Drayton. 



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