906 MB. S. S. FLOWEll ON THE IIBPTILES AND [DeC. 1, 



Cantor gives Penang, Singapore, and the Malay Peninsula as 



localities, and says "although it inhabits Singapore it 



appears not to occur in the valleys of Penang, but to affect the 

 hills, at an elevation of more than 2000 ft." Stoliezka mentions 

 it as being " not uncommon in Penang." I found this species 

 very coiniiion both in Penang and Siugupore, but, contrary to 

 Cantor's experience, I found it at Penang at almost the sea-level 

 (20 ft.), though it was certainly more numerous on the hills. It 

 is a cheerful little frog of most graceful build. It comes out from 

 its hiding-places shortly before sunset, and remains abioad all 

 night ; the males are easily found as they sit on shrubs or trees or 

 on the edges of the rainwater-butts under the verandahs of the 

 houses, and from time to time utter a single rather musical short 

 croalc. In March and April they can be found both by day and 

 night in copula in ponds. Cantor mentions the power of changing 

 its colours this species possesses. It changes both its colour and 

 markings very rapidly and frequently, but dark bands across the 

 legs can always be more or less distinguished ; the lower parts are 

 some shade or other of buff, but the principal variations of the 

 upper parts are as follows : — 



(i.) pale bronze, uniform ; 



(ii.) pale bronze, with four longitudinal dark brown or 

 black lines ; 



(iii.) a bright yellowish-bronze, almost orange, uniform ; 



(iv.) reddish-brown, almost chocolate, mottled with darker ; 

 (v.) pale brownish-green or olive, with irregular dark 



(vi.) yellowish-green, mottled with darker or brown. 



The Khacopliorus mentioned by Stoliczka (J. A. S. B. 1873, 

 p. 112) as a separate species, Polypedates quadrilineatus, from 

 Penang, is not even a true variety, as the dark lines appear 

 conspicuously and disappear entirely in the same individual. If 

 killed with or without the lines visible they remain so in spirit. 

 In Singapore at different times I noticed many young frogs which 

 had just left the water all of which had the dark lines visible; 

 these disappear as the animal grows, only to reappear temporarily 

 in the adult. 



The females are considerably larger than the males ; the largest 

 male I caught was 48 mm. from snout to vent, and the largest 

 female C8 mm. from snout to vent. 



Ilab. Slkhim, Assam, Burma, Southern China, Malay Peninsula 

 and Archipeliigo, Philippines. 



Tadpole. In January, February, March, and April, 1896, I 

 found the tadpoles of this species in several small ponds and in 

 rainwater-butts about Singiipore; and was able to collect a large 

 series for the British Museum. 



Description of the Tadpole. 

 Length of body once and a halt its width, half the length of the 



