196 ANURA 



adhesive discs of the fingers and toes are of a surprising size, 

 about as large as a threepenny piece. The skin is covered with 

 small warts, and forms a peculiar fold on the hinder surface of 

 the fore-arm and on the tarsus, and small flaps near the vent. 

 The colour is grey above, blackish on the head, with a brown 

 band between the eyes ; the under parts are flesh-coloured, the 

 throat with black spots. 



H. maxima, of the forests of British Guiana, is scarcely less 

 gigantic, and is distinguished by a projecting rudiment of the 

 pollex, while the adhesive discs are smaller than the tympanum. 

 The skin forms folds on the arms and tarsus, like those of H. 

 vasta, in addition to a triangular flap at the heel. The general 

 colour is reddish-brown above, sometimes with a dark vertebral 

 line, the under parts are whitish and covered with large 

 granules ; the throat of the male, which has an inner vocal sac, 

 is brown. 



H. faber of Brazil is closely allied to the last species, but the 

 skin of its upper parts is quite smooth. There is a small tarsal 

 fold, and one extending from the upper eyelid to the shoulder. 

 It is light brown above, with darker marks which form a con- 

 spicuous vertebral line, transverse bars on the hind-limbs, and 

 a few irregular, scattered, vermicular or linear marks on the 

 head and body. The adult, when put into a strong light, will 

 rapidly turn pale; at night the longitudinal stripe on the back 

 and the bars on the hind -limbs become very distinct ; the under 

 parts are white, and exhibit a beautiful orange tinge. This is 

 the famous " Ferreiro " or " smith." As will be seen from the 

 following graphic account by Dr. Goeldi * of Para, this species 

 doubly deserves its name of faber, not only in virtue of its voice, 

 but also because of the marvellous nest-building habits recently 

 discovered. 



" The Ferreiro is common in the Province Kio de Janeiro, 

 more frequently still in the mountain regions of the Serra dos 

 Orgaos than in the hot lowland. Its voice is one of the most 

 characteristic sounds to be heard in tropical South America. 

 Fancy the noise of a mallet, slowly and regularly beaten upon a 

 copper plate, and you will have a pretty good idea of the concert, 

 given generally by several individuals at the same time and with 

 slight variations in tone and intensity. When you approach the 



1 P.Z.S. 1895, p. 89 (with a sketch of a pond, with nests, in Dr. Goeldi's garden). 



