614 



MR. G. A. BOXJLENGER ON THE [NoV. 17, 



11, Btjfo calamita, Laur. (Plate XLVI. fig. G.) 

 The tadpole of the Natterjack differs from that of the Common 

 Toad in the narrower mouth, which measures less than the inter- 

 ocular space and a little more than the distance between the nostrils ; 

 the somewhat more convex upper caudal crest; and the lesser 

 length of the second series of upper labial teeth, which is very 

 broadly interrupted in the middle. 



Black above, sides and belly dark lead-grey, with pale bronzy 

 dots; caudal crests grey, finely speckled with black; throat and 

 chin sometimes whitish; the light vertebral line, characteristic of 

 this species, sometimes present before the appearance of the fore 



limbs. 



This is the smallest European tadpole, seldom reaching the 

 length of 30 millim. recorded by Bedriaga. The following are the 

 measurements of the largest of hundreds of specimens examined by 

 ^e:— Total length 25 millim.: body 10, width of body 7; tail 15, 

 depth of tail 5. I have seen recently transformed young measuring 

 only 7 millim. from snout to vent. 



The only figure ever given of this tadpole is that accompanying 

 Lataste's description (Actes Soc. Linn. Bord. xxx. 187G, p. 297, 

 pi. xi. figs. 1-3) ; the mouth is described and figured by Heron 

 Royer and Van Bambeke (/. c. p. 295, pi. xxiv. fig. I), and detailed 

 descriptions are given by Bedriaga (Bull. Soc. Nat. Mosc. 1889, 

 p. 406, and ' Larves des Batraciens de Portugal,' Coimbra, 1891, 

 p. 10). 



The habitat of JBufo calamita ex^temds from the extreme West of 

 Europe^ to Western Russia, the species becoming gradually scarcer 

 or more local from West to East ; it is entirely absent from Italy 

 and South-eastern Europe. 



The breeding-season lasts from the middle of April to the middle 

 of July ; it is by no means unusual to find in June and in the be- 

 ginning of July, together in one and the same spot, ova, tadpoles, 

 and recently transformed young of this species. 



12. Pelobates fuscus, Laur. (Plate XLVI. fig. 7.) 



Length of body once and a half to twice its width, two thirds to 

 one half the length of the tail. Nostrils a little nearer the eyes than 

 to the end of the snout. Eyes on the upper surface of the body, 

 equidistant from the end of the snout and the spiraculum, the dis- 

 tance between them at least twice, sometimes nearly three times as 

 great as that between the nostrils, and considerably greater than 

 the width of the mouth. Spiraculum on the left side ", directed 

 upwards and backwards, equidistant from either extremity of the 

 body or a little nearer the anterior extremity, visible from above and 

 from below. Anal opening median, a little larger than the spiracu- 

 lum, and close to the body. Tail twice and a half to thrice and one 



^ From Scotland and Ireland to the South of Spain. 



^ Heron Eoyer (Bull. Soc. Zool. France, 1884, p. 162) has recorded two 

 interesting teratological cases in this tadpole ; one with two spiracula, the 

 other with the spiraculum on the right side instead of the left. 



