ALYTES. 169 



Habits. — The life-history of this Batrachian is one 

 of great interest, but difficult to observe owing to its 

 nocturnal habits and shy disposition. First dis- 

 covered in the act of parturition by Demours, in the 

 middle of the last century, on the border of a small 

 pond in the Jardin des Plantes, we have had to wait 

 until the year 1876 for a truly scientific account, 

 based on exact observations, of the mode of oviposition 

 of the so-called " crapaud accoucheur de sa femelle." 



This we owe to that most excellent and patient 

 naturalist, Arthur de I'lsle du Dreneuf, who, residing 

 near Nantes, in a locality where the species is excep- 

 tionally abundant, spent in three consecutive years 

 more than fifty nights in the open in order to unravel 

 the mystery, and whose notes taken on the spot cover 

 250 foolscap pages of small handwriting. The account 

 given hereafter of the pairing and oviposition is com- 

 piled from that source. Although I have stayed at 

 places where Alytes is not uncommon, and have made 

 nocturnal excursions with a lantern in order to 

 witness the operation, I have, in common with most 

 herpetologists, hitherto failed in my object. 



Alijtes is nocturnal and slow in its movements ; it 

 progresses mostly crawling, but sometimes by short 

 leaps, even when embarrassed with the eggs. It is 

 able to burrow chiefly by means of the fore limbs, but 

 usually selects for its retreat holes made by small 

 mammals, or interstices between stones. Turning 

 over large stones in the vicinity of the water where 

 its tadpole attracts notice, is the surest means of 

 securing specimens in the daytime. Towards evening 

 it reveals its presence by a clear whistling note, which 

 has often been compared to the sound of a little bell, 

 or to a chime when produced by numerous individuals. 



The breeding season lasts throughout spring and 

 summer, and the female is able to spawn two, three, 

 or even four times in the year. The season seems, 

 however, at its height in May and June in the plain ; 

 later, of course, in the mountains. 



