ON THE TYPE-SPECIMKN OF RANA IJOLSTI. 



421 



Noble states tkat the type-specimen of Rana hoUti (Bi-it. Mus. 

 92.9.3. U;), which is a feniale, lias "a well-developed dagger." 

 Tliis is not tiie case. The pr^enolJex of this .specimen termmates 

 in a knob-like tubercle not uidike the subarticular tubercles of 

 the fingers. Even considerable pi-essure does not cause the 

 protrusion of the bone witliin. In order to ascertain whether 

 this female wor.ld have been able to expose a " dao-ger," I have 

 dissected the pKPpollex of the right hand, and find 'that the 



Dissected to show termination of bone of pnepollex, and distal phalanx 

 of first linger. (T^ pe-specimen.) 



bone, although undoubtedly very pointed, terminates over a 

 millimetre short of the tip of the dermal tubercle; moreover, 

 the tubercle has \ thick wall, to the i iner side of which the tip 

 of the dagger is attached by soft connective tissue, forming a 

 pad between it and the skin which show\s no sign of perfo- 

 ration. The bone is not curved, as stated in Mr. Van Denburg's 

 description t. 



Mr. Boulenger's description t : — "A very prominent knob 

 (rudiment of pollex) on inner side of first finger" is perfectly 

 correct, and there was clearly no " oversight " of the dagger on 

 his part, since such a weapon does nut exist. This mistake on 



Text-figure 5. 



Right liand of Bona holsti. Underside, nat. size. 



* ' Copeia,' New York, Feb. 27, 1920, No. 79, p. 16. 

 t I'roc. Cal. Ac. Sci. vol. iii. 1912, p. 197. 

 I P. Z. S. 1913, p. 1023. 



28* 



