THE BATRACIIIA OF NORTH AMERICA. 279 



Bufo lentiginosus fowlerl Putuaiu. 



MSS., Cope, Check List N. Auier. Batr. aud Replil. 1875, p. 29. (name only). 



This aiiiuial, like the B. L icoodhoiisei, is distinguished by the gradual 

 and steep elevation of its cranial crests and lack of supratympanic 

 ridge. It differs from it in the approximation and posterior continence 

 of these ridges, the greater breadth of the parotoids, and in coloration. 

 Supraorbital ridges elevated, rising posteriorly close together, parallel 

 or convergent behind, inclosing a frontoparietal gutter.; postorbital 

 ridges curved backward; no parietal tubercle, but a cross ridge or me- 

 dian elevation; no supratympanic ridge. Caiithus rostralis very ob- 

 tuse, a central groove on top of muzzle ; premaxillary margin retreating. 

 A ])reorbital ridge; supraorbitals high, thin, sometimes divergent a 

 little in the middle; then convergent again, prolonged a little beyond 

 postorbital, aud connected by a lower transverse ridge. Postorbital 

 curved backwards to meet theparotoid; latter elongate-oval, as long- 

 as vertical groove to nares. J^ostrils equidistant from eye slit and la- 

 bial margin ; latter nowhere produced. Tympanum distinct, half orbit. 

 Muzzle to middle of extended fore-arm ; heel beyond muzzle ; meta- 

 tarsal shovel strong, narrow; outer tubercle minute. Toes half webbed, 

 width of sole at second toe one-third length from outer tubercle. Choana3 

 and ostiapharyngea equal. Color grayish- olive, sometimes quite bright, 

 with a yellowish vertebral line from the end of the muzzle. Six spots of 

 six pairs on each side of this ; two pairs superciliar}", one nuchal aud three 

 dorsal, all elongate, deep brown, yellow margined. Three from orbit; 

 one below, two behind, the superior above tympanum, deep brown, yel- 

 low edged. Belo'w, dirty white ; throat of male in spring black ; sides 

 behind and femora marbled with yellow on blackish ground. Length 

 of head to postorbital crest 4f in total length ; latter equal 2 inches 6 

 lines. Elevation of cranium 6.7 lines. Fore limb 1 inch 8 lines; hind 

 limb 3 inches 5 lines, femur half included. 



This subspecies is so far known only as a native of a few ponds in 

 northeastern Massachusetts near the town of Danvers. Such a limited 

 distribution for a laud vertebrate is remarkable, as is also the fact of 

 its having so long remained without introduction to science. It has 

 been known and noticed by scientitic men of the neighborhood, it seems, 

 for twenty years. I append a letter of its only historian, S. P. Fowler, 

 to my friend F, W. Putnam, whose name the latter has conferred on it. 



Among eighteen specimens of this subspecies forwarded to me by 

 the Essex Institute of Salem, one female exhibits widely separated su- 

 perciliary ridges; in a nineteenth, from New Harmony, Ind., the ridges 

 are a little more divergent and less ascending, with scarce a trace of 

 the median supraparietal elevation. A specimen of the var. America- 

 nus from Nebraska approximates sufficiently closely to the last speci- 

 men to indicate that the Fowleri can not be regarded as under all cir- 

 cumstances sex^arate or be accorded full specilic rank. 



