Reptiles and Amphibians 75 



EXISTING REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS* 



G. K. Noble, Assistant Curator, in Charge 



Stress was laid during the year 1921 chiefly on the study of 

 accumulated collections. As a result, those investigations 

 which have been in hand for some time were brought to com- 

 pletion, leaving the Department free to formulate new poli- 

 cies and plans for future exploration and research. 



Although no field work was undertaken during 1921 by 

 any Department member, save for a number of short trips 

 Additions * nto ^ e ^ oca ^ ^d, tne herpetological collections 



to the have continued to grow. Expeditions sent out 



Collection by other departments have secured valuable 

 herpetological material, including several new species. Men- 

 tion may be made of the 330 specimens secured by Mr. Beck, 

 of the Whitney South Sea Expedition, in Polynesia, the 81 

 reptiles and amphibians collected by Mr. Anthony in Ecua- 

 dor, and the 30 specimens collected by Dr. Crampton in Siam 

 and the Orient. The largest single collection received from 

 an expedition is that of the 428 amphibians and 163 reptiles 

 obtained by the Third Asiatic Expedition. 



The total number of reptiles and amphibians accessioned 

 this year amount to 6,125 specimens. The greater number 

 of these were received through purchase. Among the rare 

 species secured in this way were three specimens of the 

 African shell-less tortoise, Testudo loveridgii, and a large 

 series of Ascaphus, the only Bell Toad in North America. 

 The latter has proved very interesting structurally, approach- 

 ing in its appendicular musculature very close to the sala- 

 mander type. 



The cordial relations existing between the Department 

 and similar departments in other museums have been 

 strengthened. No less than 1,349 specimens were received in 

 exchange during 1921. This material comes from The Al- 

 bany Museum, Grahamstown, South Africa, The Australian 



Museum, The California Academy of Sciences, The Museum 



■ •- p* > p -pj-] 



* Under the Department of Herpetology (see also pages 208 to 210). 



