﻿BOMBINATOR. 
  149 
  

  

  The 
  skin 
  of 
  the 
  upper 
  parts 
  produces 
  an 
  acrid 
  

   secretion, 
  very 
  similar 
  to 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  crested 
  newt, 
  

   fresh-caught 
  specimens 
  becoming 
  covered 
  with 
  white 
  

   froth 
  when 
  handled 
  ; 
  and 
  this 
  exudation 
  causes 
  great 
  

   irritation 
  to 
  our 
  mucous 
  membranes, 
  fits 
  of 
  sneezing 
  

   and 
  running 
  of 
  the 
  eyes 
  being 
  the 
  usual 
  consequence 
  

   of 
  simply 
  looking 
  into 
  the 
  bag 
  in 
  which 
  the 
  captives 
  

   are 
  being 
  brought 
  home. 
  When 
  surprised 
  on 
  land, 
  

   and 
  unable 
  to 
  escape 
  in 
  the 
  water, 
  this 
  Batrachian, 
  

   in 
  common 
  with 
  its 
  congener 
  B. 
  paclnjptis, 
  makes 
  

   ridiculous 
  contortions, 
  ultimately 
  feigns 
  death, 
  and 
  

   concavely 
  bending 
  its 
  spine 
  turns 
  up 
  the 
  head 
  and 
  

   hind 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  body, 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  the 
  limbs 
  which 
  

   are 
  folded 
  over, 
  thus 
  exposing 
  the 
  brilliantly 
  coloured 
  

   lower 
  surfaces 
  ; 
  at 
  the 
  same 
  time 
  covering 
  its 
  eyes 
  

   with 
  its 
  hands 
  as 
  if 
  not 
  to 
  see 
  the 
  danger. 
  

  

  Eggs. 
  — 
  The 
  vitellus 
  measures 
  about 
  2 
  mm. 
  in 
  

   diameter 
  ; 
  the 
  upper 
  hemisphere 
  is 
  dark 
  brown, 
  the 
  

   lower 
  yellowish-white. 
  There 
  are 
  two 
  gelatinous 
  

   capsules, 
  the 
  outer 
  of 
  which 
  measures 
  7 
  or 
  8 
  mm. 
  

   in 
  diameter. 
  The 
  eggs 
  being 
  laid 
  singly 
  or 
  in 
  small 
  

   groups 
  of 
  seldom 
  more 
  than 
  ten 
  at 
  intervals 
  of 
  several 
  

   hours, 
  the 
  exact 
  number 
  produced 
  by 
  one 
  female 
  has 
  

   not 
  yet 
  been 
  ascertained 
  with 
  absolute 
  certainty, 
  but 
  

   appears 
  to 
  be 
  from 
  80 
  to 
  100 
  for 
  each 
  brood. 
  The 
  

   embryo 
  escapes 
  from 
  its 
  envelop 
  after 
  a 
  week 
  in 
  a 
  

   more 
  advanced 
  condition 
  than 
  Dlscoglossus, 
  provided 
  

   with 
  small 
  external 
  gills 
  and 
  a 
  well-developed 
  tail, 
  and 
  

   more 
  or 
  less 
  distinctly 
  striped 
  as 
  in 
  that 
  of 
  Alytes, 
  

  

  Tadpole 
  (PI. 
  I, 
  fig. 
  2). 
  — 
  Length 
  of 
  body 
  once 
  and 
  

   one-fourth 
  to 
  once 
  and 
  one-third 
  its 
  width, 
  two- 
  thirds 
  

   to 
  four-fifths 
  the 
  length 
  of 
  the 
  tail. 
  Eyes 
  on 
  the 
  

   upper 
  surface 
  of 
  the 
  body, 
  the 
  distance 
  between 
  them 
  

   twice 
  and 
  a 
  half 
  to 
  three 
  times 
  as 
  great 
  as 
  that 
  

   between 
  the 
  nostrils, 
  equal 
  to 
  or 
  slightly 
  less 
  than 
  the 
  

   width 
  of 
  the 
  mouth. 
  Spiraculum 
  in 
  the 
  mid-ventral 
  

   line, 
  nearer 
  the 
  posterior 
  than 
  the 
  anterior 
  extremity 
  

   of 
  the 
  body. 
  Anal 
  opening 
  median, 
  much 
  larger 
  than 
  

   the 
  spiraculum. 
  Tail 
  twice 
  to 
  twice 
  and 
  a 
  half 
  as 
  long 
  

  

  