TAILLESS BATRACHIANS. 



41 



The Discofflossidce differ from all the preceding families in pos- 

 sessing short ossified rudimentary ribs, and the vertebrae, instead 

 of being procoelous, are opisthocceloiis, two characters in which 

 they approach the Newts. They are represented by but few 

 species ; among them the Yellow- and Fire-bellied Toads {Bombi- 

 nator pachypus and B. igneus), so abundant in many parts of 

 Germany, and the curious " Midwife Toad" (Alyfes obstetricans) , 

 an inhabitant of Western Europe : the latter owes its name to the 

 assistance rendered by the male to his mate during the deposition 

 of the ova ; he twists the strings of ova round his legs and carries 

 them until they reach maturity. 



The Amphignathodontid(B and Hemiphractid<e, as well as the 

 CeratobatrachidoB of the series Firmistemia, are remarkable for 

 J)ossessing teeth in the lower as well as in the upper jaiy. 



Fiff. 30. 



Pipa amencana (Surinam Toad). 



