222 A. GUNTHER ON A BATRACHIAN LIVING IN THE SOCIETY'S MENAGERIE. 
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. 
Hab. Mendoza. 
CERATOPHRYS ORNATA (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 65°. Its food consists of other frogs; and it is 
enabled by the great width of its mouth, the strength of its jaws’, and the extensibility 
of its stomach, to overpower and swallow full-grown specimens of Rana 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. ornata resembles much @. cornuta, of which two specimens 
lived for some time in the Gardens in the year 1858*. Unfortunately the mode of 
propagation, the larve, and the young stages after the metamorphosis of these large 
Batrachians are entirely unknown. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATES. 
PLATE XLII. 
Chelys fimbriata, 4 nat. size, with side view of head, and two views showing the 
variation in the extent of the gular plate. 
PLATE XLIII. 
Metopoceros cornutus, 4 nat. size. 
PLATE XLIV. 
Metopoceros cornutus, upperside of head, and three views of the skull. 
PLATE XLV. 
Tejus rufescens, nat. size. 
PLATE XLVI. 
Ceratophrys ornata 8 , nat. size. 
* See Giinther, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1859, iii. p. 381. 
? See Wiegmann’s Archiy, xxvi. p. 39. 
a 
