1870.] Indian and Malayan Amphibia and Reptilia. 157 



side. In many specimens from Lower Bengal, particularly in 

 some from the Sundarbans, in some from Moulmein, Penang, Ma- 

 lacca, Singapore, the Nicobars and in others from the Andamans, — 

 that is, in such forms which are always found near the water, — 

 the webbing appears stronger, principally on account of the toes 

 not being so much elongated, or the webbing is in reality more 

 developed ; but the transition from one form into the other is so 

 gradual, that no specific distinction can be attached to it. 



Considering these differences in the webbing of the toes and the 

 usual indication of a tarsal fold in authentic melanosticus, I can hardly 

 see the reason for which Steindachner retained F i t z i n- 

 g e r ' s JSufo spinipes from the Nicobars as a distinct species, (1. cit. 

 p. 43). I have compared several specimens from Nancowry and 

 Camorta, and cannot detect any specific distinction from melanosticus. 

 The more slender form is only a character of young and middle age, 

 though it is sometimes retained by specimens attaining a length of 

 five inches. I have seen such specimens in abundance near Moul- 

 mein, on the sea coast at Malacca and the Welesley province. 



The webbing in the Nicobar form is moderate, such as in some 

 Andaman specimens, and the young from both islands are always 

 rather dark ashy, much marbled with black, and the body is 

 greatly elongated. My largest specimen from the Nicobars is 

 2^ inches, and one paratoid gland is somewhat less than one-third 

 the length of the body, which is as a rule also the case in specimens 

 of melanosticus from other localities ; in Malacca specimens only it 

 is sometimes nearly one-fourth ; these have also an equally slender 

 and long body as those from the Nicobars. Gr ti n t h e r considers 

 spinipes (Eecords 1867, p. 146) as identical with gymnauchen which 

 he apparently acknowledges to be distinct from melanosticus, (see 

 also Proc. Zol. Soc, 1868, p. 479). 



The largest specimen of melanosticus I saw, is from near Moul- 

 mein, measuring 6^ inches in the length of the body. 



[To be continued in the next number.] 



