2l8 ANURA 



CHAP. 



larger one, and could still be felt through the soft body. This 

 same cannibal took large-sized frogs greedily, one or two for a 

 meal, swallowing them whole and then sinking back into its 

 lair, which it scarcely ever left, except for an occasional soaking 

 bath in its water-pan, especially before shedding its skin. It 

 lived for many months in the same enclosure with a panther ine 

 toad, Bufo mauritanica,' of equal bulk, until one morning I found 

 the Moroccan half swallowed and almost lifeless in the mouth of 

 the American, whence it was rescued with difficulty. It came 

 round after a few hours, but never fully recovered, lingering on for 

 weeks ; the skin was changed to a lead-colour so far as it had 

 been swallowed and partly dissolved by the gastric juices, and 

 soon began to develop festering ulcers. 



These " horned toads " make a squeaking noise when teazed, 

 not at all loud or strong in proportion to their size. Ill-tempered 

 individuals jump at their aggressor and can inflict rather painful 

 nips. They hibernate during the dry season in the ground. 



Lepidobatrachus. Large teeth in the upper jaw, and two 

 large tooth-like projections in the lower jaw near the symphysis. 

 Vomer toothless. Sacral diapophyses not dilated. Tongue 

 round, and free behind. Tympanum distinct. Great develop- 

 ment of the membrane-bones on the head, and a weaker ossifica- 

 tion in the skin of the back, recalling that in CeratopJirys. 

 The eyes are closely set together, and the nostrils take up the 

 most elevated portion of the head. Pupil horizontal. The 

 two species of this genus were discovered by Budgett l in the 

 Paraguayan Chaco. L. asper lives continually in muddy pools, 

 floating with just the eyes and nostrils above the surface. If 

 disturbed it slowly sinks to the bottom, leaving no ripple. It 

 feeds largely on Bufo granulosus. Total length from about 3 

 inches. The skin of the" upper parts is tubercular, tough, and of 

 a dull leaden colour ; the tips of the toes are horny. L. laevis 

 is smooth and slimy, " with the organs of the lateral line showing 

 clearly upon it," a feature elsewhere known to exist in Xenopus 

 and Leptobrachium only. 



Leptodactylus = Cystignatlms. Some twenty species inhabit 

 tropical America, from Central Mexico to Buenos Aires. The 

 fingers and toes are not webbed and end mostly in points ; only 

 a few species, e.g. L. liylaeodactylus, having small adhesive discs. 



1 Quart. Micr. Sci. xlii. 1899, p. 329. 



