Z()()l.()(;i( AI. SOCIKTY Hri.I.KTIX 



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(111 tin- kfi-i)fr's li.-ind. tiu-kiiii;- its liunv tVct \;t- 

 nc:itli its Ixuly ill ail attitiulc iif |urli-ft cimtciit- 

 iiitiit. 



Ocfiipyiiii;- till' same cagv witli tliL' big grfcn 

 trt-e toads is aiiotlier species from Australia ot 

 remarkably brilliant coloration — one of the 

 most attractive of its race. This is the beauti- 

 ful (iolden Tree Toad. It is a large species of 

 over three inches in length of body, of a bright 

 metallic green broadly barred in- blotched with 

 a hue as vivid as bronze paint. When chilled, 

 tile entire color pattern may fade to a dull, 

 blotchy-brown. In form this species is much 

 like the tyjiical frogs of the genus Raita. ^^'e 

 have never heard the voice of this handsome 

 species, but its silence is quite counterbalanced 

 by the specimens of the Perron Tree Toad in 

 an adjoining cage. This is another Australian 

 species and emits a startling call that much re- 

 sembles the sound made by a pneumatic riveting 

 machine. When the animal sings the throat 

 pouch is expanded into a large and transluscent 

 globe larger than the toad's head, while the 

 body vibrates with the effort of the call. Other 

 noteworthy tree toads in the collection are the 

 Baiidin Tree Toad, collected in Costa Rica by 

 Assistant Curator Crandall. .md the Giant Tree 

 Toad of the West Indies and Bahamas. The 

 latter specimen was collected by Curator Engel- 

 hardt, of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and 

 Sciences. The West Indian species is the larg- 

 est of the New World tree toads. It is not only 

 cannibalistic, but will eat small birds, mice and 

 even small snakes. 



Aside from the noteworthy series of frogs 

 and toads, we have now on exhibition a very 

 interesting collection of the tailed amphibians, 

 the salamanders and their allies. We have 

 maintained specimens of the Blind Proteus, a 



strictly a<jiiatic salam.mder. for a period of 

 .ibout two years. These curious creatures come 

 from tile suiitcrranean rivers of the Adelsberg 

 Ca\e. in Aiistri;i. Tiie eyes are indicated by 

 mere depressions witli a sunken dot of color, 

 altiiougii in the larval form tiie eye is at first 

 well developed. If kei)t in a strong light tiiese 

 sensitive creatures do not fare well. We jiaiiit 

 three sides of their tank witii opacpie iilack. 

 leaving the front panel clear for oiiservation. 

 After a few months' time tiie iigiit througii tiie 

 single panel markedly affects tliese animals' 

 skin. At first tiiey are of a pale cream color, 

 but tiiey gradually change to .-i dull, slaty hue. 

 Their food consists of very small eartiiworms. 

 In motion tiie diminutive limbs are little used, 

 the creature propelling its elong.-ite body witii 

 eel-like motions. 



.Several specimens of a remarkal)le land sala- 

 m.mder recently arrived from the west re))re- 

 scnt a species known technically as Batrarho- 

 srps caudaius. This is popularly known as the 

 Worm Salamander and is prob.ibly the most ex- 

 cessively elongate form among any of the ter- 

 restrial salamanders. Our examples are from 

 four to five inches long witii limbs so minute 

 and delicate that tlie animal's progress is of 

 almost snail-like pace. This curious salaman- 

 der has a most northerly distribution, being 

 found from California into Alaska. 



Keeper Deckert last fall added specimens of 

 an interesting salamander to the collection. 

 Tiiis is tiie Jefferson Salamander, Amhlifxtoma 

 jeffersonianiivi, a very slender form of .Imhli/- 

 stoma and rarely obtained from the eastern 

 coastal region. Its habitat is the Allegheny re- 

 gion l)ut Mr. Deckert collected four specimens 

 near Wiiite Plains. \\'estcluster Couiitv. New 

 York. 



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GOLDEN TRKK KlAI 



