FROGS AND TOADS. 05 



These animals are more nearly related to the Proteiform Ba- 

 trachia than to the little salamanders of the present day. This 

 applies also to two footless animals from (Eningen, which H 

 von Meyer has described under the name of Orthophyia. These, 

 however, are perhaps the larvae (tadpoles) of the Andrias, in 

 which, probably, the feet were wanting. 



A worthy counterpart of the gigantic salamander of (Eningen 

 is the gigantic frog (Latonia Seyfriedi, Meyer). It is so nearly 

 allied to the horned frog (Ceratophrys cornutd) of Brazil that its 

 establishment as a distinct genus is probably erroneous. It is, 

 however, distinguished from the Brazilian species by its smaller 

 head, longer and narrower pelvis, shorter anterior and longer 

 posterior limbs. In size it is fully equal to the Brazilian ani- 

 mal, which is the giant of living frogs. Probably, like its ex- 

 isting relative, it passed the day in the muddy water, and took 

 to the land in search of food in the cool of the evening and 

 during the night. 



Of the three (Eningian species of toads, one (Bufo Gessneri, 

 Tsch., sp.) is remarkably like the green toad (B. viridis, Dum.), 

 and is of the same size, but had rather longer hind limbs ; while a 

 second (Bombinator ceningensis, Ag.) agrees, as far as it has been 

 preserved, in all essential points with the common Bombinator 

 igneus, Merr., except that its limb-bones are rather shorter and 

 broader. 



The three Miocene snakes show but few peculiarities, and ap- 

 pear to be nearly related to the common Swiss snake. One 

 species (Coluber Oweni, Meyer) reached a length of about 3 feet ; 

 another (C. Kargiij Meyer) was a little more than a foot long. 

 The Zurich Museum possesses a fine specimen with the mouth 

 wide open. 



Lizards are at present represented only by a small animal 

 discovered in the lignites of Rochette. Dr. P. de la Harpe pos- 

 sesses from this locality a jaw '005 metre (or -197 inch) in length, 

 armed with twenty-four teeth. 



That crocodiles inhabited Swiss rivers and lakes at the time 

 of the formation of the freshwater Miocene, is proved by a fine 

 skull discovered on the Lindenberg near Butikon (in the Canton 

 of Argovia) by M. Rupplin, and presented by him to the Zurich 

 Museum. It is stretched out, and possesses a rather narrow 



VOL. ii. F 



