222 A. GtJNTHEE ON A BATEACHIAN LIVING IN THE SOCIETY'S MENAGEEIE. 



Lower parts brownish red, with irregular transverse blackish spots. Upperside of the 

 limbs with small reddish specks. 



In the largest specimen the reddish tinge covers nearly the whole body, whilst in 

 two others of middle size it is confined to the markings and the lower parts. In two 

 young specimens it is not developed, the markings being of a dirty whitish colour. 



Hah. Mendoza. 



Ceratophets oenata (Bell). (Plate XLVI.) 



Of this species a fine male specimen is at present living in the Gardens. Like other 

 species of this genus it bears captivity well, provided it be kept in a temperature which 

 should never be allowed to fall below G5°. Its food consists of other frogs; and it is 

 enabled by the great width of its mouth, the strength of its jawsS and the extensibility 

 of its stomach, to overpower and swallow full-grown specimens of Eana temporaria. 

 During the short time of its captivity it has lost much of its timidity, and, opening its 

 mouth, is ready to seize the hand or any other object approaching it. Its bite is 

 powerful enough to leave the impression of its teeth on a pencil or other object. 

 Its movements are awkward, the legs being seemingly hardly long enough to carry the 

 bulk of its body ; therefore it passes almost the whole day in a form hollowed out in 

 the turf by means of its metatarsal shovel ; it does not seem to be more active during 

 the night. When disturbed it utters loud whining and hissing cries. 



In all these points C. omata resembles much C. cornuta, of which two specimens 

 lived for some time in the Gardens in the year 1858 ^ Unfortunately the mode of 

 propagation, the lar\-3e, and the young stages after the metamorphosis of these large 

 Batrachians are entirely unknown. 



DESCEIPTION OF THE PLATES. 



PLATE XLII. 



Cheli/s fimhriata, \ nat. size, with side view of head, and two views showing the 

 variation in the extent of the gular plate. 



PLATE XLIII. 



Metopoceros cortmtus, J nat. size. 



PLATE XLIV. 



Metopoceros cornutus, upperside of head, and three views of the skull. 



PLATE XLV. 



Tcjus rufescens, nat. size. 



PLATE XLVI. 



Ceratophrys omata 6 , nat. size. 



' See Gunther, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1859, iii. p. 3S1. 

 " See Wiegmann's Archiv, xxvi. p. 39. 



