1889. | OF THE GENUS RHACOPHORUS. 29 
I am nevertheless satisfied that both Blyth and Peters were cor- 
rect in distinguishing two species in Ceylon, as were likewise the 
authors of the ‘Erpétologie générale’ in distinguishing the Indian 
(Bengal, Pondichery, Malabar) from the Malayan (Java, Philippines) 
form, although they made the mistake of applying to the former the 
name leucomystax, which belongs to the latter, their P. rugosus. 
The comparison of fully adult skulls shows very great differences 
between the extreme types; and these differences corresponding with 
certain external characters, though of a very trivial nature, and with 
the habitats, it is difficult not to admit that they deserve recognition 
in the system. But if a large series of examples be examined, the 
gaps between the various torms are nearly completely bridged over, 
as may be seen from the figures (p. 28), which at the same time 
afford an excellent exaniple of derivation of characters and speak 
clearly against the systematic value of certain cranial structures to 
which Cope stil! attaches undue importance’. 
However, | think it best to distinguish as species the three fol- 
lowing forms, and I will proceed ¢o give their characters, synonymy, 
and distribution. 
RHACOPHORUS LEUCOMYSTAX. 
Hyla leucomystax, Gravenh. Delic. Mus. Vratisl. p. 26 (1829). 
Ayla sexvirgata, Graveuh. t. c. p. 28. 
Hyla quadrilineata, Wiegm. N. Acta Ac. Leop.-Carol. xvii. 1. 
p- 260, pl. xxi. fig. 1 (1835). 
Polypedates leucomystax, Tschudi, Class. Batr. p. 75 (1838); 
Cantor, Cat. Mal. Rept. p. 142 (1847). 
Polypedates rugosus, Dum. & Bibr. viii. p. 520 (1841). 
Polypedates maculatus, part., Ginth. Cat. Batr. p. 78 (1858), 
and Rept. Brit. Ind. p. 428 (1864); Stoliczka, Proc. As. Soc. 
Beng. 1872, p. 106. 
Polypedates quadrilineatus, Giiuth. ll. ec. pp. 79 & 429; Anders. 
Proe. Zool. Soc. 1871, p. 207. 
Polypedates maculatus, Auders. 1. ¢. 
Polypedates megacephalus, Hallow. Proc. Ac. Philad. 1860, p. 507. 
Rhacophorus maculatus, part., Bouleng. Cat. Batr. p. 83 (1882). 
fylorvana longipes, Fischer, Arch. f. Nat. li. p. 47 (1885). 
The largest specimen (from Siam) im the Collection measures 
81 millim. from snout to vent. 
No connection between the fronto-parietals and the squamosals. 
In the Himalayan specimens examined (six from Darjeeling and one 
1 Prof. Cope, in a notice of the British Museum Catalogue of Batrachians 
(cf. Am. Nat. 1883, p. 181), expresses the hope that, if another edition of the 
work is called for, the author will modify it by the adoption of the genera charac- 
terized by the degree of ossification of the cranial bones, which would divide 
Hyla into four genera, viz. Hyla, Scytopis, Osteocephalus, and Trachycephalus. 
If these principles were applied to the /’hacophori, we should have at least three 
genera in the maculatus-group ; just as, on aecount of the presence of a fronto- 
parictal fontanelle, Bufo calamita is placed by Cope in a distinct genus away 
from B. viridis. Tu fact, he has recently (‘Origin of the Fittest,’ p.82) proposed 
to restrict the genus Polypedates to the species with rugose skull. 
