96 



RANA. FROG. 



Generic Character. 



Corpus tetrapodum, ecauda- 

 tum, nudum. 



Body four-footed, without 

 tail, and naked, or without 

 any integument but the 

 skin. 



Xhis genus may be divided into three sections, 

 viz. 1. Frogs, commonly so called, or Ranee, with 

 light active bodies, and which leap when dis- 

 turbed. 2. Slender-limbed Frogs, Hylce, Cala- 

 mitce^ or Ranx arborece, viz. such as have light 

 bodies, very slender limbs, and toes terminating 

 in flat, circularly expanded tips, enabling the 

 animals to adhere at pleasure to the surface even 

 of the smoothest bodies. Several of this division 

 generally reside on trees, adhering by their toes 

 to the lower surfaces of the leaves, and branches. 

 3. Toads, Bufones, or such as have large heavy 

 bodies, short thick limbs, and which rather crawl 

 than leap when disturbed. 



It may be observed, that in the works of au- 

 thors this division of the genus into three sections 

 (which is but of late date) is not very accurately 

 conducted ; and indeed some species may be con* 

 sidered as of a doubtful cast, or ranking with al- 

 most equal propriety in either distribution. 



