380 



MR. C. h. BOULEXGER OX FAT-BODIES 



[Feb. 15, 



appearance resembling the well-known abdominal fat-bodies at 

 the anterior end of the gonads. 



Similar fat-bodies are described as occurring in the neck -region 

 and are probably connected with the thymus glands*. 



The following brief remark by Leydig (2) shows that the 

 presence of these bodies in Bufo had not escaped the attention 

 of this accomplished investigator, who, however, abstains from 

 any allusion to their structure: " Die Fettkorper in der Achsel- 

 grube und Weichengegend waren bei calamita rothgelb, bei 

 variabilis graugelb, welche Farbenab'anderung wohl nur in den 

 verschiedenen Fullung der Blutgefasse gesucht werden darf." 



Text-fig. 37. 



Bufo viridis, $ . 



Ventral view, with the skin reflected to show the position of 

 the subcutaneous fat-bodies. 



F.B. Fat-body. A.V. Ventral abdominal vein. C.V. Cutaneous vein. 



* These fat-bodies 'were noticed by Cope (3) so long ago as 1889, a fact which 

 Mr. Beddard seems to have overlooked. In that author's description of Semisus 

 (' Batrachia of North America' p. 383) we find the following remarks :— 



" This genus exhibits also an external corpus adiposum which I have not found in 

 Callula, J&ngy stoma, or any other genus of Batrachia. Each one is subtrihedral, the 

 apex resting near the coracoid, the body lying between the strata of the external 

 and internal oblique muscles; . ... ..." 



