156 The American Naturalist. ` [February, 
crypts. The length of the head and body is 38.5 mm. ; length of head 
(axial), including tympanic region, 14.5 mm.; width of interorbital 
space, 6 mm. ; of head at tympana, 18 mm. ; length of fore leg from 
axilla, 19 mm.; length of hind leg from urostyle, 41 mm.; length of 
tibia, 12.5 mm.; of foot, 20 mm. 
Color of superior surfaces brown, varied with large obscure spots of 
‘dark brown. 
There are no pale longitudinal stripes, but the borders of the sacral 
region are pale and contract posteriorly, enclosing a narrow dark band 
above the urostyle. This pale outline is bordered externally by brown, 
and from this dark spots or bands extend transversely. There is a 
dark spot on the canthus rostralis ; one on each side of the end of the 
muzzle, one below the eye, and one posterior to the eye. Gular region 
light yellow, rest of lower surface dirty white. Sheaths of hallux black 
bordered. 
The single specimen of this species before me is smaller than the 
average S. hammondii proper, and is equal to the larger individuals of — 
the 8. h. bombifrons. Its color and the position of its vomerine teeth 
are more like those of the Scaphiopus couchii, but the proportions and 
the perfectly smooth cranial bones with free integument, distinguish it 
readily. 
This interesting species approximates more closely the genus Scaph- 
iopus than the known species of Spea. It was found by Mr. Wm. L. 
Black, of Prof. W. F. Cummins’ party of the geological survey of 
Texas, on the journey between Seymour, in northwest Texas south 
the Red River, and Austin. Mr. Black obtained on the same expedi- 
tion three species of Bufo, viz., B. compactilis, B. debilis and B. pune 
tatus. The range of the last named is thus much extended eastward. 
A specimen of the snake Tropidoclonium lineatum was also obtained, 
which extends its range much westward, Dallas having been the pre 
vious limit in this direction —E. D. Corr. 
The Pedal Skeleton of the Dorking Fowl.—Mr. G. p. ; 
Howes has been studying the pedal skeleton of two Dorking chicks, 
reaching conclusions somewhat different from those of Mr. Cowper, 
who has recently published studies of the adult structure. As a result 
of his anatomical researches Mr. Howes advances the theory that the 
two innermost digits of the Dorking fowl’s pes are the product of the 
cleavage of the hallux, and adduces the recent discovery by Kiikenth 
of an undoubted occasional splitting of the Cetacean pollex asa SUP 
port of this argument. Mr. Howes states also that the types of Pr 
