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RHINOPHKYNB. Rhinophrynvs lorsalm. 



This curious species inhabits Mexico, and can easily be recognised by the peculiar 

 form of its head, which is rounded, merged into the body, and has the muzzle abruptly 

 truncated, so as to form a small circular disc in front. The gape is extremely small, and 

 the head would, if separated, be hardly recognisable as having belonged to a Frog. There 

 are two glands by the ears, but although they are of considerable dimensions, they are 

 scarcely apparent externally, being concealed under the skin. The legs are very short 

 and thick, and the feet are half-webbed. Each hind foot is furnished with a flat, oval, 

 horny spur formed by the development of one of the bones. There are no teeth in the 

 jaws, and the ear is imperfect. The colour of the Ehinophryne is slate-grey, with yellow 

 spots on the sides and a row of similar spots along the back. Sometimes these latter 

 spots unite so as to form a jagged line down the back. 



WE now arrive at the Crawling Batrachians, technically called Amphibia Gradientia. 

 All these creatures have a much elongated body, a tail which is never thrown off as in 

 the frogs and toads, and limbs nearly equal in development, but never very powerful. 

 Like the preceding sub-order, the young are hatched from eggs, pass through the pre- 

 liminary or tadpole state, and, except in a very few instances, the gills are lost when 

 the animal attains its perfect form. Both jaws are furnished with teeth, and the palate is 

 toothed in some species. The skin is without scales, and either smooth or covered with 

 wart-like excrescences. There is no true breast-bone, but some species have ribs. 



The development of the young from the egg is not quite the same as that of the tail- 

 less Batrachians. Instead of being deposited in masses or long strings, the eggs are laid 

 singly, and are hatched in succession. When the young are first hatched they bear some 

 resemblance to the tadpole of the frog, the gills being very conspicuous. In these 

 creatures, however, the fore-legs make their appearance first, and are soon followed 

 by the hinder pair, whereas in the frogs the hind-legs are seen for some time before the 

 fore-limbs are visible externally. Further remarks will be made on this subject when 

 \V9 come to our well-known representative of this sub-order, the common newt or e f t 



