250 DR. A. GUNTHKR ON AUSTRALIAN TREE-FROGS. [June 23, 



feeds freely on meal-worms when other food is scarce ; but they are 

 frequently vomited, and I doubt whether these frogs could be kept 

 in good health if restricted to this particular kind of food. In all 

 these points the Australian species mentioned agree with the Euro- 

 pean Tree-frog, and I need hardly say that they as easily climb 

 smooth surfaces, glass, &c., as the latter species. 



Pelodryas cceruleus. White (Giinth. Batr. Sal. pi. 9. fig. B). — 

 The natural colour of this species is a light grass-green, which, when 

 the animal is kept in the dark or in a very wet place, changes into 

 dark sap-green ; roundish yellowish-white spots are sometimes scat- 

 tered on the sides. I have mentioned above that it has a voice, which 

 is a kind of grunting, somewhat resembling that of Rana esculenta, 

 but lower. I must remark, however, that the two examples in the 

 menagerie, a male and female, are evidently not full-grown ; and I 

 was rather surprised to hear a voice at all from the male, as in Hyla 

 viridis the vocal sac and the voice are not developed before the indi- 

 vidual has attained to maturity and to its full size. The hind limbs 

 are comparatively short, and therefore this species cannot make such 

 wide jumps as the true HylcB. I could not observe any secretion 

 from the parotoid glands, which are so much developed in full-sized 

 individuals, but which are scarcely perceptible in our specimens. 

 These Frogs soon became familiar, especially the male, which, when 

 I went to feed them, used to approach and to watch the opening 

 through which I introduced the flies into their cage. 



Hyla peronii, Bibron (Plate XXX. figs. A, B, a).- — This species 

 is very remarkable on account of the change of its colours. When 

 awake (see fig. A) it is brownish olive, covered all over with blackish- 

 brown spots, between which small green dots are scattered ; the an- 

 terior and posterior sides of the thigh and the loin are bright yellow, 

 with irregular reticulated black spots. The pupil is open, horizon- 

 tally elliptic, and crossed by a very distinct blackish vertical band. 

 We have given a second figure of the same individual (fig. B) when 

 asleep : the dark spots disappear entirely, the ground-colour becomes 

 lighter, sometimes even lighter than it is indicated in the figure ; the 

 green dots are very indistinct, and the numerous tubercles with which 

 the skin is covered are whitish at the top. The pupil is contracted 

 into a minute square opening, from which four black lines radiate. 



This species is very nimble in its motions, making great leaps 

 when pursued, and darting after flies from 8 to 10 inches distant; 

 but it frequently misses its aim in these attempts. I have heard 

 it emit a sound, but only when it was caught, and which I cannot 

 otherwise describe except by comparing it with that emitted by 

 Hyla arborea under similar circumstances. 



Hyla krefftii (PI. XXX. fig. D). — A single specimen of this species, 

 lately described by myself*, being in the collection, I am enabled to 

 give a description of the natural colours. A broad brown band com- 

 mences between the eyes and extends to the vent, occupying the 

 back almost entirely ; it is lighter along the middle ; another dark- 

 brown band descends obliquely from the eye to the humeral pit ; 

 * Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1863, xi. p. 28, pi. 4. fig. C. 



