B A T R A C H I A A N U R A. 99 



dull-yellow, under the head and abdomen, with a few small black spots 

 on the latter region. The legs being reddish, with indistinct yellowish 

 dots. 



Found at Valparaiso, Chile. 



Genus BRACIIYCEPHALUS, Fitz, 



Gen". Char. — Head and bacl^ protected by osseous shields. Tym- 

 panum hidden. No parotid glands. Tongue elongated, entire 

 posteriorly, and free for about lialf its length. Fourth finger, first 

 and fifth toes rudimentary. No metatarsal tubercles. 



Syn. — Brachijcejyhalus, Fitz. N. Class. Kept. 1826, 39. — PuM, & Bibr. Erp. gen. 

 VIII, 1841, 726. 



E^hippipher, CocT. in Guer. Mag. de Zool. 1835, Class. Ill, PI. vri & viii. 



Obsery. — The small batrachian, which is the type of this genus, 

 was first described about thirty years ago, when it was referred to the 

 genus Bafo, by Spix. In 1826, Fitzinger proposed for it the genus 

 Bracliyceplialus, since adopted by all herpetologistSj although Cocteau, 

 in 1835, expressed the wish that the latter name should be replaced 

 by that of Epldppipher, on the ground that its etymology is the same 

 as Breviceps, another genus of batrachians. There are many instances 

 of the same kind in the zoological nomenclature. To introduce changes 

 similar to the one just mentioned, would be productive of serious mis- 

 haps and drawbacks to real scientific progress. 



Cocteau's paper on these batrachians may be considered a good 

 monograph of the genus, and must be consulted by whoever shall 

 undertake writing upon the subject. There is one error in it : the 

 supposition that teeth exist upon the upper jaw and palate. It is 

 now well established that neither maxillary nor palatine teeth are 

 found in the genus Bracliycephalus, Cocteau having, been led into the 

 above error by the desiccated state of the specimens at his command, 

 and which were procured at Rio de Janeiro. 



The question now is, whether B. aurantiacus is identical with Bufo 

 ephippium of Spix. Cocteau is inclined to think that they are dif- 

 ferent species, upon the ground that the former is of a uniform orange 



