1922.] Tadpoles of Megalophrys parva. 11 
Great controversy centres round the probable function of 
the lozenge-shaped apparatus surrounding the mouth of tad- 
poles of several species of the genus Megalophrys. The follow- 
ing functions have been assigned to it so far :— 
(i) Prof. Max Weber,! who observed this interesting struc- 
r first time, assigned to it the function 
of. flotat 
(ii) Dr. Gadow* gga that the teeth on the inner 
side of the structure-were used for scraping the 
leaves of water-plants, while Dr. Van Kampen * 
ae to the teeth the function of rasping the 
algal slim 
(iii) Besides the tied functions given above, Dr. Annan- 
ale* in his latest paper on the subject added two ~ 
more, firstly, respiration and secondly crawling. 
(iv) Dr. Malcolm Smit has quite recently advanced 
the view that the chief function of the funnel is to 
assist the animal in feeding and has doubted the 
possibility of its acting as a float during floods. 
I take up the various functions attributed to this struc- 
ture one by one and discuss them separately in the light of 
my observations and also in the light of the evidence afforde 
by the morphological and histological study of the structure 
of the float, which is given towards the end of this short note. 
My observations have convinced me that the oral appa- 
ratus is capable of acting as an efficient organ of flotation. 
The very fact that I was able to carry a floating tadpole 
round and round the bowl by gently blowing over it, is very 
significant in this connection. Dr. Annandale’s® suggestion 
that the very action of the folding of the funnel causes the 
animal to sink is not borne out by my observations. The 
animal is capable of floating irrespective of the fact that the 
funnel is sere gee or folded. 
ugh I have not made any observations on the feeding 
on algal slime for their existence, the jaws are oe 
strong and are provided with big sane to work them 



! Max Weber, Ann. Jardin Bot. Buitenzorg, Supp. II, p. 5 (1898). 
2 Gadow, Amphib bia and Sygate (Cambridge Nat. Hon) p. 59 (1901). 
3 Kampen, Weber’s Zoolog. Ergebn. IV, p. “109 (1907). 
+ Annandale, Rec. Ind. Mus. VIII, p. 30 (1912). 
5 Malcolm Smith, Journ. Nat. Hist. Soc. Siam 11, p. 271 (1917). 
5 Annandale, Fascic. Malay., Zool., p. 280 (1903). 
