ON THE TYPIO-SPEOIMKN OF RAXA HOLSTI. 421 



24. Oil the Typo-Speciincii oF liana Iiohfi Buulenger. 

 By Miss Joan B. Phocter, F.Z.S. 



[Received June 1, 1920 : Head June 15, 1920.] 

 (Text-figure 5.) 



In "A Note on Bamhina, tJie Daoger-Fioo-" *, Mr G K. 

 Noble states tkat the type-specimen of Rana Jiolsti (Brit Mus' 

 92.9.3.19), which is a female, lias "a well-developed da^^oer" 

 ,_ihis IS not the case. The prcTpollex of this specimen tennhmtes 

 in a knob-hke tubercle not unlike the snbarticular tubercles of 

 tlie fingers. Even considerable pressure does not cause the 

 protiusion of the bone within. In order to ascertain whether 

 this female would have been able to expose a " dagger " I have 

 dissected the pi-^pollex of the right hand, and fiSd 'that the 



Text-figure 5. 



Right hand of Bana holsti. Underside, iiat. size. 



Dissected to show termination of bone of prsepollex, and distal phalanx 

 of first finger. (Type-specimen.) 



bone, although undoubtedly very pointed, terminates over a 

 milliinetre short of the tip of the dermal tubercle; moreover, 

 the tubercle has -\ thick wall, to the ianer side of which the tip 

 of the dagger is attached by soft connective tissue, forming a 

 pad between it and the skin which shows no sign of perfo- 

 ration. The bone is not curved, as stated in Mr. Van Denburg's 

 description t. 



Mr. Boulenger's description t : — "A very prominent knob 

 (rudiment of pollex) on inner side of first finger" is perfectly 

 correct, and there was clearly no " ovei'sight " of the dagger on 

 his part, since such a weapon does not exist. This mistake on 



* ' Copeia,' New York, Feb. 27, 1920, No. 79, p. 16. 

 t Troc. Cal. Ac. Sci. vol. iii. 1912, p. 197. 

 X p. Z. S. 1913, p. 1023. 



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