THE POUCHED FROG AND THE RHINOPHRYNE. 523 



is wonderfully tenacious of life, suffering the severest wounds without 

 seeming to be much distressed, and having even been frozen quite stiff 

 in a mass of ice without perishing. 



The color of this species is green above, sometimes spotted with 

 olive, and a grayish yellow streak runs through each eye toward the 

 sides, where it becomes gradually fainter, and is at last lost in the 

 green color of the skin. In some specimens there is a grayish spot 

 on the loins. Below, it is of a paler hue, and a black streak runs along 

 the side, dividing the vivid green of the back from the white hue of the 

 abdomen. 



In the Pouched Frog we find a most singular example of structure, 

 the female being furnished with a pouch on her back, in which the 

 eggs are placed when hatched, and carried about for a considerable 

 period. 



This pouch is clearly analogous to the living cradle of the marsupial 

 animals. It is not merely developed when wanted, but is permanent, 

 and lined with skin like that of the back. The pouch does not attain 

 its full development until the creature is of mature age, and the male 

 does not possess it at all. When filled with eggs the pouch is much 

 dilated, and extends over the whole back nearly as far as the back of 

 the head. The opening is not easily seen without careful examination, 

 being very narrow and hidden in folds of the skin. 



The Rhinophryne is remarkable as being the only known example 

 among the Frogs where the tongue has its free end pointing forward, 

 instead of being directed toward the throat. 



This curious species inhabits Mexico, and can easily be recognized 

 by the peculiar form of its head, which is rounded, merged into the 

 body, and has the muzzle abruptly truncated, so as to form a small 

 circular disc in front. The gape is extremely small, and the head 

 would, if separated, be hardly recognizable as having belonged to a 

 Frog. The legs are very short and thick, and the feet are half webbed. 

 Each hind foot is furnished with a flat, oval, horny spur formed by the 

 development of one of the bones. There are no teeth in the jaws, 

 and the ear is imperfect. The color of the Rhinophryne is slaie- 

 gray, with yellow spots on the sides and a row of similar spots along 

 the back. Sometimes these latter spots unite, so as to form a jagged 

 line down the back. 



We now arrive at the Crawling Batrachians, technically called 

 Amphibia Gradientia. All these creatures have a much elongated 

 body, a tail which is never thrown off as in the frogs and toads, and 

 limbs nearly equal in development, but never very powerful. Like the 

 preceding sub-order, the young are hatched from eggs, pass through the 

 preliminary or tadpole state, and, except in very few instances, the 

 gills are lost when the animal attains its perfect form. Both jaws 



