548 MB. G. A. BOULBNQBIl ON LITl'LE-KNOWN [May 5, 



The following papers were read : — 



1. On some little-knowu Batrachians from the Caucasus. 

 By G. A. BouLENGEK, F.R.S. 



[Received May 4, 1896.] 

 (Plates XXL & XXII.) 



Ten species of Batrachians have been recorded from the Caucasus, 

 viz. liana esculenta, L. (var. ridibwida, Pall.), R. mam-ocnemis, 

 Blgr., B. camerani, Blgr., Bicfo viridis, Laur., B. vulgaris, Laur., 

 Hyla arborea, L., Salamandra caucasica, Waga, Molc/e cristata, 

 Laur. (var. Jcarelinii, Strauch), M. vulgaris, L. (var. meridionalis, 

 Blgr.), and M. viitata, Gray. To these 10 species an important 

 addition has recently been made : Pelodytes caucasicus, Blgr., the 

 second species of a genus believed to be confined to Western 

 Europe. 



Considerable material having reached the British Museum of 

 late, chiefly through the kindness of Dr. G-. Eadde, Director of the 

 Tiflis Museum, I am able to give detailed descriptions and figures 

 of, or notes upon, five species which are still imperfectly known, 

 viz. JRana macrocnemis, R. camerani, Pelodytes caucasicus, Sala- 

 mandra caucccsica, and Molge vittata. 



Eana maoboonhmis. 



Rana maeromeffnis, Bouleng. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1885, p. 22, pi. iii., 

 and Bull. Soc. Zool. France, 1886, p. 596 ; Boettg. Ber. Senck. 

 Ges. 1892, p. 136. 



This species was originally described from a single male specimen 

 collected at Brusa, Asia Minor, by the late Baron von Maltzan. 

 It has since been recorded from near Tiflis. The following de- 

 scription is taken from three Tiflis specimens in the British Museum, 

 vin. two fi'om the Tortoise Lake, received from the Seuckenberg 

 Museum ; the third from Eijut, 4200-4300 feet, presented by 

 Hr. W. Wolterstorff, of Halle. As observed by Prof. Boettger, 

 the snout is often more elongate than in the type from Brusa, 

 approaching in shape that of Rana agilis, and tlie inner metatarsal 

 tubercle a little shorter ; otherwise the agreement is complete. 



The vomerine teeth form two small oblique groups, close 

 together, entirely behind the level of the choansB. Head a little 

 broader than long ; snout rounded or obtusely acuminate, not 

 prominent, with the lores rather oblique; nostrils nearly equally 

 distant from the eyes and the end of the snout, the distance 

 between them much greater than the interorbital width, which is 

 also much less than the width of the upper eyelid ; tympanum one 

 half to three fifths the diameter of the eye, from which it is rather 

 remote. Pore limb very strong in the breeding male, just as in 

 R. temporai-ia, and with the inner finger provided with a still 

 stronger pad, which is not divided by a transverse groove. The 

 first finger extends slightly, but distinctly beyond the second. 



