156 ME. G. A. BOULENGER ON THE EEPTILES 



of which are in contact with the rostral ; head covered with small keeled scales, among 

 which an enlarged supraocular is sometimes present ; two series of scales between the 

 eye and the labials ; 11 or 12 upper labials. Scales in 29 to 35 rows. Pale buff, 

 greyish, reddish, or pale brown above, with three series of whitish spots edged with 

 dark brown ; a zigzag dark brown band may run along each side : a cruciform or 

 A-shiiped, whitish, dark-edged marking on the head ; lower parts whitish, uniform or 

 with brown dots. 



Total length 600 millim., tail 65. 



Inhabits the desert sandy districts of North Africa, South-western Asia, and India. 

 M. Lataste examined several specimens from Biskra in M. Henon's collection at Con- 

 stantine, and a single specimen was found at Tadjera, near Mettamer, in Tunisia, by 

 M. Letourneux. 



Figure : ' Description de I'Egypte,' Kept., Suppl. pi. iv. fig. 1. 



The Batrachians are very poorly represented in North Africa. They fall into two 

 Orders :■ — - 



I. ECAUDATA, Frogs and Toads, in which the tail is present only during the larval period. 

 II. CATJDATA, Newts and Salamanders, in which the tail persists throughout life. 



Older I. ECAUDATA. 



Four Families : — 



1. RanidsB. Upper jaw toothed; diapophyses of sacral vertebra not dilated. 



2. Bufonidae. Jaws toothless ; diapophyses of sacral vertebra dilated. 



3. Hylidse. Upper jaw toothed ; diapophyses of sacral vertebra dilated ; digits expanded at the 



end, the distal phalanx claw-shaped and swollen at the base. 



4. Discoglossidae. Upper jaw toothed ; diapophyses of sacral vertebra dilated ; anterioi' dorsal 



vertebrae with short ribs. 



Each of these four Families is represented in Barbary by a single genus. The four 

 genera may be distinguished as follows : — 



I. Pupil horizontal ; vomerine teeth, if present, between the choanse. 

 A. Digits not dilated at the end. 



Tongue deeply notched, bifid posteriorly; teeth in upper jaw and on palate. 1. Rana. 



Tongue elliptical, entire ; no teeth 2. Bufo. 



A. Digits dilated at the end 3. Hyla. 



II. Pupil round or subtriangular ; vomerine teeth behind the choanae .... 4. Discoglossus. 



