202 E. D. Cope— System of the Batrachia Anura 



As to the "DiscoglossidaB," fragments of four families are 

 represented by its five genera, one of which immediately fol- 

 lows, viz: the Asterophrydidce. In the " BrachycephaMs " 

 there are placed three genera, Pseudophryne, a true Bufoni' 

 and scarcely distinguishable from the genus Epidalea Ci'i 

 which embraces the old Bufo calamita of Europe ; second, B. 

 chycephalus, which is near Phryniscns and belongs to the Pi.: 

 niscidse ; and third, Hemisus, which is nearer by mucli ' 

 Migystoma, but probably forms the type of a distinct sub- 

 It is not necessary to examine the genera further, but I turn 

 to the species, where it is proper to express more favorable 

 views. Thus science owes to Dr. Gunther a debt of gratitude 

 for the collections, in his British Museum catalogues, of con- 

 venient diagnoses of species, with references to many works 

 and authors not accessible to all. His books thus become 

 manuals, and indispensable as the last compilation of an ex- 

 tensive and scattered literature. But it is not only as a com- 

 piler that his works are valuable. His usual conscientious- 

 ness in attempting the accurate discrimination of species is 

 most praiseworthy, though we cannot help thinking that 1^ 

 estimate of the value of species is sometimes a little iiij^rfered 

 with by national and personal predjudices. English, Frenct, 

 and American authors fare the worst at his hands, and we 

 freely admit that in the latter case his criticisms are otten 

 deserved, so far as they relate to some of the naturalists ot 

 a generation or two ago. These will, however, compare favor- 

 ably with those who commenced the work in Europe, as 

 Klein, Merrem, Laurenti, Shaw, etc. His countrymen do 

 not, however, escape, and Wagler comes in for the p^ai^e o 

 having described, after the much and unjustly criticised wo 

 of Spix, " a badly-figured specimen of Ceratojphrys ornata 

 a new genus, Hemiphractus. Now Hemiphr actus is one ol 

 most remarkable and distinct genera of Arciferous f^^^l^ 

 South America, the type of a peculiar family, and Spix s Up 

 represents the type species very well. Prof Peters nrst 

 stored the genus. , ot 



A serious drawback to the merits of the species worK,^ ^^^ 

 only of this, but of Dr. Giinther s ichthyological works, ^ ^^ 

 tendency to ignore species. f This view approaches ^^os 

 pressed by Prof Schlegel in the field of ornithology- J^^^ 

 distinct species are continually united, and even good g^^^ 

 are not unfrequently found involved in the undigestea ^^ 

 This probably results from the verv poor opportunities 

 stud.ying the Reptilia and Fishes enjoyed by the author, e^ y 



* One of the Cystignathida;. «ide as ^ 



+ 1 do not aUude to his "doubtful-species" which he puts to one. 

 bnefly described, often very justly. 



