TIIH HATUACIIIA OK NORTH AMKHICA. 



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Toiiftiie broad, obovate, soiiu'timcs nearly ovate, distinctly to not eiuar- 

 ginatc posteriorly. V^oincriiie teetii in t\v«» ovate patches between the 

 interior nares, as near them as to each other. 



The end of the (bre-arni extended icaches the external nares. The 

 heel of the extended hind leg reaches to or beyond the end of the muz- 

 zle. Two larji'e metacai-pal tubercles. I.enjith of head to tympaiuim, 

 one-third that of head and body. 



Averafic size: Lenj^th of body, 12 lines; from vent to outer end of 

 femur, «J lines; tibia, 7 lines; tarsus and foot, 1) lines. 



Typical coloration : Above, brown or j;ray, with a blackish triangu- 

 lar patch boiween the eyes, the ai)ex directed backwards; the bor- 

 ders of this aie of a li{;ht color, which is lijjht green in life, and is con- 

 tinued as a band to the end of the body. Three dark bars on the lip, 

 one from the eye to the anterior UNncr aim across the angle of tlu^ 

 mouth, pale bordered above. A dark bar from the orbit across tln^ 

 tympanum, and one from scapular region to beyond middle of side. A 

 dark bar from behind the scapular region restricts tli«' doisal line near 

 the sacrum, and is usually continued with an interruption to the groin, 

 ('(dor of upper surfaces continiu>d on a less purt of sarface of femur, 

 which is cross-barred; behind this pale, with a longitudinal band or 

 series of spots itosteriorly. Throat in spring yellow. 



This species possesses the power of metachrosis oi- color-change in a 

 high degree. The dorsal stri|)e and border of the iuterocular spot may 

 be bright green, dirty white, or briglit rusty; and the dorsal tidierdes 

 vary in color in the same way. The general tint varies from bright 

 green to dull slate color. 



In its liabits the Arris f/rjillns is a lover of the muddy borders of the 

 water, into which it leaj)s when alarmed. As it does not conceal itself 

 among vegetation, like the Ifi/lti pkheriiifiii. it is much nu);''> easily 

 caught than that speciies, and is more common in museums, though uot 

 less abundant. As the structure (d" the feet indicate, it is a good swim- 

 nier, and its i)owers of leai)ing are remaikabh'. 



Tliis species is distributed fr<»m I-Morida to Texas, through Kansas 

 and the Northwest to the Atlantic, and as far northeastwardly as New 

 York. 



The Uv.rthern and southern secstionsof this area i)rodiU!e forms whicU 

 olVer considerables dilVereiu'cs, but which must be termed subspecies, on 

 account of the existence in some localities of intermediate individuals. 

 1 have seen such from Illinois, I'ennsylvania, .Misstuiri, and elsewhere. 



These subspecies are as t'ollows: 



llimlcr foot los.s liusiis less tliun half the lciiy;ili of flio lioail and Itody : dpriiial tii1>or- 

 clcs larjjcr; i>ostt'rior fi'iiioral stiipc less <lis(iii<'i I </• <'iii>itaiiH. 



Iliiiih-r foot li'ss tarsus loiiLjer tliaii half heal ami hoily; itrrmal tiiliciTlos .smailt^r; 

 femoral stiipc very ilistiiict l- !l- uriillnx. 



These sul)species are resi>ertively of northern and southern distribu- 

 tion; tile .1. ;/. f/i'i/llKs ranging from North Carolina to Florida and 

 Louisiaua. 



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