264 ON PHYLLOMEDUSA HYPOCHONDRIALIS. [Feb. 21, 



2. Notes on a South-American Frog lately living in the 

 Society's Gardens. By G, A. Boulenger^ C.M.Z.S. 



[Eeceived January 30, 1882.] 

 (Plate XIII.). 



The small Frog {Phyllomedusa hypocTiondrialis) which is the 

 subject of this communication hved but a few days in the Society's 

 Gardens. It had been obtained at Pernambuco by Dr. Stvadling ; 

 and was, I believe, the first specimen of this species that has reaches 

 Europe alive. 



In spite of its small size (34 millim. from snout to vent), it is 

 nearly adult, the species to which it belongs never growing to a size 

 superior to that of the common Tree-frog of Europe ; whilst Phyllome- 

 dusa bicolor, of which P. hypochondrialis has frequently been re- 

 garded as tlie young, reaches the largest size which any member of 

 the family Hylidse attains, viz. 130 millim. from snout to vent. 



It is not necessary to enter into details concerning the structural 

 characters of this animal, as these will be found in my ' Catalogue 

 of the Batrachia Ecaudata in the British Museum ' (p. 434), where 

 thirteen species of Phylloinedusa ai-e distinguished ; but I think it 

 well to state that the inner toe only is opposable to the others, as has 

 been figured by Burmeister in another species of the same genus, 

 and not the two inner toes, as believed by many authors. 



The point of interest in the specimen, which I had the pleasure of 

 observing alive, is the coloration. This is very different from that of 

 spirit-specimens, and quite worthy of notice, as it does not appear 

 to have been recorded before. 



When the animal sits half asleep on a leaf or against the glass of 

 its case, the limbs folded against the body, as most Tree-frogs are 

 in the habit of doing during the daytime, it is entirely of a light, 

 rather faded green, without any markings. But when it stretches 

 out its limbs, the aspect is very different, all the concealed surfaces, 

 viz. the upper surface of the humerus, the two inner fingers, the 

 flanks, the lateral and upper surfaces of the femur with the exception 

 of a narrow green streak (the only part of the femur seen when the 

 limbs are folded), the inner side of the tarsus and the three inner 

 toes, being of a bright orange-colour, elegantly marked with trans- 

 verse purplish-black bars. 



The upper lip has a very narrow white margin. A fine blackish 

 line extends from the angle of the mouth to the middle of the side, 

 separated by a white streak from the green of the back. Another 

 blackish line round the lower lip ; another, white-margined, along 

 the outer edge of the forearm and fourth finger, and tarsus and fifth 

 toe. 



The lower surfaces are pure white, with the exception of the tibiae, 

 which are orange. 



The iris is silvery white, as has been figured by Burmeister in 

 Phylloinedusa burmeisteri. 



