1880.] PALiEARCTIC AND ETHIOPIAN TOADS. 573 



space between them equals that between one of thetn and the lip. 

 The eyes are nearer the tip of the snout than to the angles of the 

 jaws. The interorbital space is slightly concave ; its breadth equals 

 about that of the upper eyelid. The tympanum is distinct, rounded, 

 or a little higher tlian broad ; its diameter equals about half the 

 greatest orbital diameter. The cleft of the mouth extends to the 

 level of the centre of the tympanum. The tongue is elhptical, narrow ; 

 its breadth contained twice in the female, twice and a half in the 

 male, iu its length. The parotoids are very prominent, oval, oblique, 

 divergent backwards ; their breadth is contained hardly twice in 

 their length ; they begin at a rather considerable distance behind the 

 upper eyelids. 



The body is about twice and a half as long as the head. 



The fore limb is as long as the body iu the male, scarcely shofter 

 in the female. The fingers are long and slender ; the first equals 

 the third and is much longer than the second, which is a little longer 

 than the fourth ; the subarticular tubercles are simple, and larger and 

 more prominent than iu any other species of Bufo I have seen. A 

 large rounded tubercle occupies the middle of the hand, and another, 

 smaller and oval, the base of the thumb. 



The hind limb is slender ; being carried forwards along the body 

 the metatarsal tubercles reach the tip of the snout in the male, between 

 the eye and the nostril in the female ; the tibia is much longer than 

 the head and does not show any trace of parotoidiform gland. The 

 inner edge of the tarsus is tuberculous. The first cuneiform tubercle 

 is moderate-, oval, rather prominent ; the other metatarsal tubercle 

 is rounded, and not very distinct from the other large tubercles that 

 surround it. The toes are rather short ; the fourth is rather more 

 than one third longer than the third, which is scarcely longer than 

 the fifth ; they are webbed at the base ; the subarticular tubercles 

 are large, prominent, and single-rowed. 



The integument is most peculiar. Above, the warts are very pro- 

 minent, the larger ones composed of a central, conical, spine-bearing 

 tubercle surrounded by several others ; the parotoids are very rough. 

 The lower surfaces are covered with minute granules intermixed with 

 larger spinous ones. 



The upper surfaces are brown, uniform in the adult, with a ievi 

 angular symmetrical blackish spots on the head and body and across 

 the limbs in the young. The lower surfaces are lighter, with some 

 indistinct traces of dark spots in the male. 



The male has no vocal sac. 



Oeographical Distribution. — Bufo tuherosus inhabits "West Africa. 

 It is very rare in collections. 



10. Bufo taitanus, Peters. 



This species has been lately described by Prof. Peters (Monatsb. 

 Berl. Acad. 1878, p. 208, pi. ii. f. 9) from a young specimen. It 

 seems to be distinct from all other African Bufones, beiug most closely 

 allied to B. tuberosus. Not having seen the animal, I will reproduce 

 the diagnosis given by Prof. Peters. 



