458 DR. J. E. GRAY ON DACTYLETHRA. [Nov. 8, 
ness set in. The rapidity and length of its leaps, which were abso- 
lutely noiseless, must give great facilities to its capturing live prey. 
I never knew it give a loud call; but it would often make a low chat- 
tering noise. It has been observed at the Luabo mouth of the Zam- 
besi, at Quillimane, and at Mozambique. When I had my live speci- 
men at Zanzibar, the natives there did not seem to recognize it ; 
nevertheless it may be abundant on the mainland. 
‘* Ever yours, very sincerely, 
* Joun Kirk.” 
This animal is most probably the Ofolicnus crassicaudatus, de- 
scribed by Dr. Peters, from Quillimane ; but his figure is very much 
darker, and in other respects very different from the one here de- 
scribed ;. at the same time, I am well aware how difficult it is to re- 
present animals, especially when soft-furred like the Lemurs. 
I have compared the skull in the flesh of Callotis montiert, from 
Angola, with the skull of Otogale crassicaudata, and, as far as I 
could see the skull under the flesh with which it is enveloped in 
spirit, the two skulls and the teeth are very much alike, the orbit of 
Callotis being, if at all, but very little larger. 
5. Nore on THe Ciawep Toaps (DactyLeTHRA) oF AFRICA. 
By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., erc. 
There has long been known a Toad that has long slender fingers 
to its fore feet, like the Pipe, and very large webbed hinder feet, 
some of the toes of which are armed with very distinct horny black 
claws—a peculiarity of structure that is quite an exception amongst 
the Batrachian animals. 
The specimen first observed was brought from South Africa: it 
was described and figured by Cuvier, in the second edition of the 
‘Régue Animal’ (vol. ii. p. 107, t. 7. f. 3), under the name of Dacty- 
lethra. This author states that the animal had been before partially 
known; for it is figured, but without its claws, in the ‘ Planches 
Enluminées’ as the male Pipa, I suppose on account of the form of 
the feet. Daudin described it under the name of the Crapaud lisse 
(t. 30. f.1); and Merrem, in his Compilations, calls it Pipa buf- 
fonia. It is now generally known as the Dactylethra capensis of 
Cuvier. 
Dr. Peters, when examining a specimen of this animal which he 
obtained from Mozambique, discovered a very small cylindrical ap- 
pendage, or beard, situated on the front part of the underside of the 
orbit ; and described it as a new species, under the name of Dactyle- 
thra miilleri, in the ‘ Monatsber. der Berlin. Acad.’ (1844, p. 37). 
Dr. Hallowell, having observed the same beard under the eyes of 
a young specimen which he had obtained from the Gaboon through 
Dr. H. A. Ford, gives a long description of it, under the name of Dac- 
tylethra miilleri, in the ‘Proceedings of the Academy of Natural 
Sciences’ for 1857, p. 65. 
