﻿PELODYTES. 
  

  

  189 
  

  

  Eggs. 
  — 
  Small, 
  measuring: 
  li 
  to 
  2 
  mm. 
  in 
  diameter 
  ; 
  

  

  Laid 
  

  

  in 
  two 
  

  

  Fig. 
  71. 
  

  

  /^■^ 
  

  

  

  blackish, 
  with 
  the 
  lower 
  pole 
  w^hite. 
  

   strings 
  which 
  coalesce 
  in 
  the 
  cloaca, 
  

   thus 
  forming 
  a 
  single 
  lengthened 
  

   band, 
  often 
  broken 
  into 
  several 
  

   pieces, 
  twined 
  round 
  the 
  stalks 
  of 
  

   small 
  reeds 
  or 
  grass 
  below 
  the 
  

   surface 
  of 
  the 
  water. 
  The 
  muci- 
  

   laginous 
  capsule 
  surrounding 
  each 
  

   egg 
  measures 
  2^ 
  to 
  3 
  mm. 
  ; 
  the 
  

   outer 
  envelop, 
  which 
  in 
  the 
  toads 
  

   forms 
  a 
  sort 
  of 
  tube 
  protecting 
  the 
  

   eggs, 
  is 
  here 
  absent; 
  and 
  when, 
  as 
  

   sometimes 
  happens, 
  the 
  band 
  is 
  

   deposited 
  in 
  fragments, 
  the 
  egg- 
  

   masses 
  embracing 
  a 
  stalk 
  may 
  

   have 
  more 
  the 
  appearance 
  of 
  little 
  

   balls, 
  resembling, 
  but 
  for 
  the 
  darker 
  

   colour, 
  those 
  of 
  Hyla 
  arborea. 
  

  

  Heron-E-oyer 
  has 
  ascertained 
  the 
  number 
  of 
  ova 
  in 
  

   a 
  brood 
  to 
  vary 
  between 
  1000 
  and 
  1600, 
  and 
  the 
  

   embryo 
  to 
  leave 
  the 
  mucilaginous 
  envelop 
  on 
  the 
  

   fifth 
  day, 
  at 
  a 
  very 
  low 
  stage 
  of 
  development, 
  tailless, 
  

   and 
  having 
  not 
  yet 
  developed 
  the 
  gills. 
  

  

  Tadpole 
  (PI. 
  I, 
  figs. 
  7 
  and 
  8). 
  — 
  Length 
  of 
  body 
  

   rather 
  more 
  than 
  once 
  and 
  a 
  half 
  its 
  width, 
  and 
  not 
  

   quite 
  two-thirds 
  the 
  length 
  of 
  the 
  tail. 
  Nostrils 
  half- 
  

   way 
  between 
  the 
  end 
  of 
  the 
  snout 
  and 
  the 
  eyes, 
  or 
  a 
  

   little 
  nearer 
  the 
  latter. 
  Eyes 
  on 
  the 
  upper 
  surface 
  of 
  

   the 
  body, 
  equidistant 
  from 
  the 
  end 
  of 
  the 
  snout 
  and 
  

   the 
  spiraculum, 
  the 
  distance 
  between 
  them 
  about 
  twice 
  

   as 
  great 
  as 
  that 
  between 
  the 
  nostrils, 
  and 
  equal 
  to 
  the 
  

   width 
  of 
  the 
  mouth. 
  Spiraculum 
  on 
  the 
  left 
  side, 
  

   directed 
  upwards 
  and 
  backwards, 
  nearly 
  equidistant 
  

   from 
  either 
  extremity 
  of 
  the 
  body, 
  visible 
  from 
  above 
  

   and 
  from 
  below. 
  Anal 
  opening 
  median, 
  much 
  larger 
  

   than 
  the 
  opening 
  of 
  the 
  spiraculum. 
  Tail 
  twice 
  and 
  a 
  

   half 
  to 
  three 
  times 
  as 
  long 
  as 
  deep, 
  ending 
  in 
  an 
  

   obtuse 
  point 
  ; 
  the 
  upper 
  crest 
  very 
  convex, 
  deeper 
  

  

  