Species of Toads of the Genus Nectophryne. 71 



requires a name, than which one recalling its discoverer could 

 not be more appropriate. 



The outline-figures here given sufficiently indicate the 

 difference between the two species. The snout of xV. batesii, 

 sp. n., is shorter than that of* JS. afra, and, seen from below, 

 projects far less considerably beyond the mouth ; seen in 

 profile, it is much less obliquely truncate. I have failed to 

 detect any other differences, but I note that the markings are 

 subject to much less variation in N. batesii than in N. afra, 

 and that the belly and the lower surface of the limbs are 

 always uniform yellow or yellowish white, brown spots or 



Head of Nectophryne afra. Head of Nectophryne batesii. 



marblings, if present, being confined to the throat and 

 breast. Upper parts pale pinkish brown to dark brown, with 

 three or four more or less distinct darker blotches on the 

 head and back, one of which often forms a bar on the sacral 

 region ; sides of back often lighter ; a dark band on the loreal 

 and temporal regions ; hind limbs sometimes with ill-defined 

 dark cross-bands. The largest specimen measures 25 mm. 

 from snout to vent. 



N. batesii is only known from the neighbourhood of 

 Bitye, on the Ja River (Congo System), where N. afra is 

 also common. Of the latter species I have examined speci- 

 mens from Spanish Guinea, Cameroon (Kribi, Akok, Ef ulen, 

 Zima Country, Bitye), Fernando Po, and Southern Nigeria 

 (Oban hills). 



Bearing in mind that some of the East- African species of 

 Nectophryne are known to be viviparous, I have opened 

 several females of both N. afra and N. batesii, the belly of 

 which was distended with ripe ova; these, of enormously 

 large size (2^ mm. in specimens measuring 20 to 25 mm. 

 from snout to vent), showed, however, no sign of development. 

 Mr. Bates has sent me a specimen, a female M, batesii with 



