ZOOLOGICAL SOCIKTY HLLLKTIN 



OUR COLLECTION OF SWIMMING 

 FROGS. 



THE frogs comprising the Superfamily A(/- 

 lox.ia, or Tongueless F'rogs. have been 

 popularly called "swimming frogs," from 

 their thoroughly aquatic habits. They live in 

 ))ermanent pools, in their tropical hahiiat, which 

 they have never been observed to leave volun- 

 tarily. Three species of the genus Xeiwpiis, 

 belonging to this remarkable group are on ex- 

 hibition in the Reptile House. The largest is 

 known as the "Smooth Clawed F'rog," (Xenopus 

 laevis). It attains a length of body of four 

 inches and has a smooth skin, except for several 

 rows of thread-like filaments on the head and 

 body. Its color is dull olive, with large vari- 

 ously-shaped spots on the back and limbs. The 

 throat and abdomen are white, sometimes faint- 

 ly spotted with brown. The head is compara- 

 tively small. Hat, with small eyes, situated on 

 to]) and looking ujiward. A star-shajjcd pat- 

 tern of fine white filaments surrounds the eye. 

 The mouth, which has teeth in the upper jaw 

 only, is very wide. The three inner toes carry 

 sharp, horny claws at their tijis. The home 

 of this frog is tropical Africa southward to Cape 

 Town. 



The second species is known as the "Tcnt.ickd 

 Clawed Frog" {Xcnopus muellerii), and inhab- 

 its East Africa. In general outline and pro- 

 portions it resembles the species first described, 

 but is smaller, rarely exceeding two inches in 

 length. It has a short tentacle or "feeler" un- 

 der each eye. The color of the back and limbs 

 is muddy green without spots. Throat and ao- 

 domen are white. In addition to the three claws 

 on the inner toes, this frog has a spur on the 

 heel. The third species is called the Pigmy 

 Clawed Frog, {Xcitopus calcaratiis). Its maxi- 

 mum length is slightly over an inch. West 

 i\frica is the habitat. 



The two first described species were brought 

 from F,uroi)e by Mr. Ditm.-irs in the spring of 

 1909, and we rate them among the hardiest and 

 most satisfactory am]jhibians exhibited in the 

 Re])tile House. " They are thriving in a large 

 aquarium with coarse gravel and planted with 

 Saf/iHaria. Their food consists of small pieces 

 of raw beef, given once a week and varied oc- 

 casionally with small earthworms. 



The smaller named species of XoiapKx was 

 brought from Africa by one of the late C.irl 

 Hagenbeck's collectors, and bids fair to rival 

 its relatives in hardiness. 



