TYPICAL FROGS. 



269 



the midday sun. Its croaking is said to be louder than that of any other species, 

 and can be heard for a distance of several miles. In the Southern States of 

 America, although most intense during the spring and summer, the croaking 

 is continued throughout the year ; but in the north it is confined to the spring 

 and summer, being especially loud during the breeding-season. It is a remarkable 

 fact that in Canada, at least, the bull-frog passes its first winter in the larval 

 condition, and takes two years to attain its full growth. 



It may be mentioned that the small Indian frogs forming the 

 genus Oxyglossus differ from the members of the preceding genus by 

 the absence of any notch in the tongue, and the want of vomerine teeth. They 

 are specially interesting on account of being represented by fossil species in the 



Oxyglossus. 



JAVAN FLYING FKOG ( liat. size) 



Flying Frogs. 



Eocene rocks of Bombay. Fossil frogs belonging to the typical genus Rana occur 

 in the lower Miocene rocks of Europe. 



" One of the most curious and interesting reptiles which I met 

 with in Borneo," writes Mr. Wallace, " was a large tree-frog, which 

 was brought me by one of the Chinese workmen. He assured me that he had seen 

 it come down, in a slanting direction, from a high tree, as if it flew. On examin- 

 ing it, I found the toes very long, and fully webbed to their very extremity, so 

 that when expanded they offered a surface much larger than that of the body. 

 The fore-legs were also bordered by a membrane, ,and the body was capable of con- 

 siderable inflation. The back and limbs were of a very deep shining green colour, 

 the under surface and inner toes yellow, while the webs were black, rayed with 

 yellow. The body was about 4 inches long, while the webs of each hind-foot, w T hen 

 fully expanded, covered a surface of 4 square inches, and the webs of all the feet 

 together about 12 square inches. As the extremities of the toes have dilated discs 



