REPTILES. 



BY CHARLES GIEAED. 



BATRACHIA. 

 FAMILY OF RANIDiE. 



Genus CYSTiaNATHUS, Wagler. 



G-BN. CHAR. Vomerine teeth disposed upon a transverse or oblique row more or less inter- 

 rupted in the middle, and situated either hetween the inner nares or hehind them ; tongue cir- 

 cular, suhcircular, or suhcordiform, posteriorly entire, and either attached by its whole surface 

 or very slightly free behind ; tympanum distinct ; toes either bordered by a membranous fold or 

 slightly webbed at their base. 



Syn. Cystignathus, Wagl. Nat. Syst. Amph. 1830, 202. 

 Grd. Proc. Acad. Nat. So. Philad. VI, 1853, 420. 



Obs. The genus Cystignathus is here admitted within the limits we have recently assigned to 

 it on the occasion of the study which we have made of the species of exotic batrachians brought 

 home by the United States Exploring Expedition, to which we would refer herpetologists. 



CYSTIGNATHUS TAENIATUS, Girard. 

 Plate XXXIV, Figs. 8—11. 



Spec. char. Vomerine teeth, situated a little behind the inner nares,- well separated upon the 

 middle of the palate ; tongue subelliptical, free posteriorly, and slightly notched upon the 

 same margin. Greenish yellow, with two dorsal blackish stripes ; limbs barred above. A 

 dark vitta upon the sides of the head, extending from the nostril, across the eye, to the shoulder. 



Syn. Cystignathus taeniatus, Grd. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. VII, 1854, 226. 



Descr. The general appearance of this species is rather short, the head forming about the 

 third of the entire length — the posterior limbs, of course, excepted. The head is longer than 

 broad. The snout is subacute and rounded; slightly declive from the eyes forwards and si.le- 

 ways. The canthus rostralis is depressed ; the nostrils, very small, are situated nearer to the 

 tip of the snout than to the anterior rim of the orbit. The eye is well developed and suhcircu- 

 lar, its longitudinal diameter being equal to the interocular space above ; the upper eyelid is 

 minutely granular. The tympanum is quite small, though conspicuous. The tongue is well 

 developed, in the shape of a subelliptical disk, broadest behind, slightly notched posteriorly, 

 and free upon nearly the posterior third of its length. The inner nares are subelliptical, ob- 

 lique, and conspicuous. The vomerine teeth are exceedingly minute, and disposed upon two 

 very small and subelliptical distant eminences, situated between and a little behind the inner 



