1888.] VKINS IN THE ANUROUS AMPHIBIA, 125 



Hochstetter has examined Bomhinator, Hyla, Rana, and Bufo, 

 and in none but the former has he found a persistence of the vessels 

 above named. He was not in a position to discuss the morpholo- 

 gical significance of the fact, as a guide to affinity. The researches 

 of Cope\ Boulenger^, and others point to the conclusion that the 

 Discoglossidae, rather than the Aglossa, are to be regarded as the 

 least modified of all living Anura. Boulenger writes^ "in the 

 presence of ribs and opisthoccelian vertebrae the members of this very 

 natural family closely approach the higher tailed Batrachians." The 

 retention of the posterior cardinal (azygos) vein in Bomhinator 

 can only be regarded as a sign of low affinity, and, mindful of the 

 well-known osteological and other characters of this family, I have 

 been led to examine other genera thereof, with the view of ascer- 

 taining if this retention is common to all its members. I find the 

 veins of both sides well developed in two specimens ( S and $ ) of 

 Bomhinator homhinus. Of five Alytes ohstetricans examined (three c? i 

 two 5 ), four showed no traces ; in the fifth, however (a $ ), both 

 veins were fully represented, but small. This was also the case in 

 a c? of Discoglossus pictus. From this it must be assumed that the 

 character is fairly distinctive of the Discoglossidae. 



Thanks to Prof. Huxley, I have had the opportunity of examining 

 adults of Pipa ( J ) and Dactylethra ( $ ). In neither of tTiese could 

 I observe a trace of the vessels in question ; the specimens had been 

 previously vei'y much dissected, but should subsequent investigation 

 upon fresh material (which I hope to carry out) substantiate this, 

 the deductions of the afore-named authors as to the lowliness of the 

 Discoglossidae will receive striking confirmation. 



Tiiese facts are, in themselves, sufficient to invest any Anura 

 with a fresh interest, whose affinities with the Discoglossidae have 

 been suggested or called into question. Conspicuous among such 

 is Pelodytes ; and for an opportunity of examining this and other 

 genera my best thanks are due to Mr. Boulenger, who has, with his 

 customary generosity, afforded me unstinted aid. Pelodytes is held 

 by Giinther and Mivart^ to be allied to the Discoglossidae, and by 

 others (Cope, Lataste, Boulenger) to the Pelobaticlse\ As I am 

 unable to find any traces of the vein in two adult males of Pelodytes 

 and one of Pelohates, I can but give my support to the latter view. 



Finally, Hochstetter, in his earlier paper, describes an anastomosis 

 between the hepatic sinus and the posterior cardinal veins in Elas- 

 mobranchs", which he holds to be tantamount to the formation of a 

 vena cava inferior. This deduction is far too revolutionary to merit 

 immediate adoption ; the probability of its accuracy is, however, cer- 



^ Nat. Hist. Review, 1865 ; also Joiu-n. of Aead. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. vi. 

 186B. p. ()7. 



- Catalogue of Batrauliia Salientia, British Miiseura, 1882. 



■' Ibid. p. 444. 



■' P. Z. S. 18C)9, p. 280 et scq. 



^ For references, see Oat. Batr. Salientia. 



** (//'. Joui'dain, Ann. des Sci. Nat. 1859. series 4, vol. xii. Also quoted by 

 Parljer, of whose papers Hoelistetter does not appear to have been cognizant. 

 This is to be regretted, as the two differ on ) oints of considerable interest. 



