18 L. G. ANDERSSON, BATRACHIANS. 
specimens of both forms for comparison. TI have thus not dared to follow my own 
opinion but have used the name Ps. bibronii, chiefly because the other species, Ps. 
australis GRAY, is said to be »not found outside a radius of seventy miles from Syd- 
ney» (LUCAS and le SovÉF in the Animals of Australia 1909). Considering only the 
characteristics which are usually employed for distinguishing species of frogs, I can 
namely, according to my opinion, call them Ps. australis quite as well as Ps. bibronii. 
The differences, stated by FLETCHER, in »temperament, in habits and in regard to 
the breeding season» (Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales 1889, p. 376) are unknown to me con- 
cering my specimens, thus nor giving any guidance for my determination. In this 
connection I cannot suppress my opinion that such differences as unlikenesses >»in 
temperament and habits» ought to be considered more as individual variations, due 
to different conditions of life haunts of the specimens, than as specific characteris- 
tics. If such differences should be employed more commonly for the distinction of 
species, I am afraid that it would result in such a division of the species, soon lead- 
ing to a complete chaos. 
The small differences in colour, used by FLETCHER as an important characteris- 
tic as well, are not much more reliable than »habits and temperament». As is well 
known, the colour of the batrachians varies in a high degree in most species. Of 
Ps. bibromit I find then that three colour varieties are recorded in the Animals of 
Australia by LUCAS and LE SovÉF, and as far as I can see the different colour of 
the front is the only difference in colour, and further also the only characteristic of 
any importance by which Ps. bibronii should differ from Ps. australis. Besides, ac- 
cording to statement in BoULENGER'S catalogue, there should be in Ps. bibronii two 
large yellowish spots on the hinder side of the thighs and generally a more or less 
distinet pink vertebral line. In Ps. australis there should be only a single spot on 
the hind side of the thighs and a light line on the coccyx only. As proved by fig. 
3 my specimen from Blackal Range agrees with Ps. bibromii in having the forehead 
of the same colour as the back, but with Ps. australis in the line on the coccyx and 
in the arrangement of the spots on the thigh. In this latter point it fully corres- 
ponds with DUMÉRIL and BIBRON's figure (Pl. 100, fig. 3) of their Ps. albifrons (= 
Ps. australis GRAY). 
Not even the main characteristic, the yellow forehead, seems to be distinctive 
for a species (australis), confined to the surroundings of Sydney. In addition to the 
fact, namely, that GRÄY'S type specimen of Ps. australis has been stated to be from 
Swan River (Proc. Z. S. 1835 p. 57),' also my specimen from Adelaide has, as shown 
by fig. 4, the forehead plainly lighter than the back. The limit between the colours 
is distinct, and the light area resembles rather much the figure published by DUMÉ- 
RIL and BIBRON, although the colour is light greyish, and not yellow as in that one. 
It is, however, not impossible that something similar has existed in this specimen as 
well, when alive, although the yellow colour now has faded away in the alcohol. 
On the remaining upper parts the specimen is nearly uniformly coloured with the 
! According to FLETCHER is this statement probably an error (The Animals of Australia p. 284). 
