189o.] Zoölogy. 1205 
the U. S. Boundary Survey and Hallowell’s type of 2. dorsalis ; those 
from the Pacific R. R. Survey under Whipple came in later.’’ 
These statements imply a good deal of error somewhere, and itnow 
devolves upon me show where it lies. In the first place, my statements 
as to the absence of anything ‘‘ in the description or figure to enable 
us to ascertain what species or subspecies is represented ” are strictly 
correct. As the character of the B. 2 woodhousei is to have the 
head 4.5 to 5 times in the length, and of B. 2 americanus is to 
have the head 4 to 4.5 times in the length, the statement by Hallowell 
that the head enters the length 4.5 times in the length does not help 
us in the least. And this is the only character cited by Dr. Stejneger. 
Nor does the locality help us, since B. Z. americanus has been taken, 
according to Yanow, in Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico, These 
being the facts, B. dorsalis had to be relegated to the ignota until the 
type specimens could be found, and all names based on it had to lie in 
abeyance. The next specimen to which the name B. woodhousei was 
applied was that obtained by Möllhausen, and I therefore necessarily 
regarded that as the type. Had I followed a common precedent I would 
have sunk the name altogether, and used that of B. frontosus Cope, 
which applies to it. 
However, Dr. Stejneger has now found the type in a specimen 
labeled as coming from the ** California Mountains,”’ a locality which 
I attempted in vain to discover when making out the list of specimens. 
It seems that this name is a ‘‘slip’’ for San Francisco Mountains. Dr. 
Stejneger discovers this by deciphering a parchment label which has 
soaked for some forty years in alcohol. This speaks well for the doc- 
 tor's sight, for Hallowell's writing when fresh was generally nearly il- 
legible !—E. D. Cope. 
Notes on the Clawed Frog, Xenopus.—]. M. Leslie has 
studied the habits of this South African frog. It lives on aquatic 
forms which it forces, into its mouth with its hands. It is apparently 
unable to eat out of water. Oviposition takes place in early spring 
(August), and the ova are deposited singly, and are attached to leaves or 
stones. The eggs at first measure one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter ; 
twenty-four hours later, after swelling of the mucilaginous envelope, 
they measure one-eighth of an inch. The fish-like larvz acquire no 
external gills, nor are there any horny plates or teeth in the mouth. 
Material has been forwarded to Dr. Schlaninsland, who wishes to study 
the development. 
$ Proc. Zool. Socy. London, 1890, p. 69. 
