388 MR. G. KREFFT ON THE BATRACHIANS OF SYDNEY. [NoV. 10, 



of L. nasuta only. Specimeus in different stages of growth, and 

 differing considerably in coloration, &c., have been forwarded to Dr. 

 Giinther for examination. In all the specimens, the first finger is op- 

 posed to the others. The members of this genus are true Jumping 

 Frogs, often bounding as high as one's head — the Kangaroos amongst 

 the Batrachians. They inhabit grassy moors and swamps, seldom, 

 if ever, rocky ridges, and when chased are apt to entice their pursuer 

 into quagmires. They are diurnal in their habits — often basking on 

 the leaves of Banksias, in a burning sun, watching for insects. I 

 observed large numbers of young ones, in the beginning of March, 

 which had just emerged from the larva state, and were almost as 

 plentiful as grasshoppers, on the sandy flats towards Botany Bay. 

 I noticed not a single half-grown or adult specimen. 



Hyla aurea. 



All the species of Hi/la which Dr. Giinther enumerated in his 

 Catalogue in 1858 are found near Sydney, Hyla rubella excepted. 

 Hyla aurea is the most common of all the Australian Frogs, being 

 found in every lagoon oc stream of water, and furnishing food to 

 the Black Snakes, which swallow this Hyla as a gourmand does an 

 oyster. I have watched a Pseudechis taking in fifteen frogs one 

 after the other, after which the aggressor was conveyed into my 

 collecting-bag. Of a hot summer's evening their loud, rolling, 

 quacking noise may be heard for miles ; now (May) it has entirely 

 ceased. During the cold season this frog retreats to the high ground, 

 seeking shelter under rocks and stones ; but many bury themselves 

 in the mud. 



This species is very voracious, feeding upon almost any Batra- 

 chian, no matter what, as long as it can be swallowed. I have seen 

 them devour Lizards and large Blattce ; in fact, nothing appears to 

 come amiss to them, if hungry. The natives eat this species : re- 

 turning unsuccessful from the chase at night, they hght some boughs 

 and catch frogs. Hundreds may be gathered by the light of a fire, 

 — a fact of which poor Burke and Wills do not appear to have been 

 aware when starving on Vardoo at Cooper's Creek. This species 

 has an extensive geographical distribution, and is found in almost 

 every part of the Australian continent and Tasmania. But west- 

 coast specimens differ from those in this neighbourhood in having 

 a tubercular back, and almost always a rather broad vertebral line 

 from the top of the snout to the vent. 



Hyla citropus. 



This rare species has been observed in winter-time only, when I 

 have found it under stones in creek-beds, always upon elevated rocky 

 ground, never in the plains. It grows to a considerable size, and, I 

 believe, frequents the high branches of the Eucalypti during the 

 summer. A fly often deposits its eggs close to the tympanum of 

 H. citropus, and the larva lives there until ready for transformation 

 into the chrysalis state, when it drops out, looking similar to a large 

 yellow maggot. It then forms a black covering, attaches itself to the 



