REPTILES. 
43 
Genus— BATRACHYLA. Bell 
Lingua suhorhicularis, postich libera. Dentes palatini in fasciciilis hinis ohliquis 
inter nares posteriores dispositi. Tympanum distinctum, parmim, rotundum. 
Digiti depressi, ad apiceni paulld dilatati, truncati. Anteriores ad basin tantwm 
— posteriores pauld plus palmati. 
This genus, which considerably resembles Hylodes, is nevertheless suf- 
ficiently distinct from it, in the distribution of the palatine teeth, in the form of 
the dilatations of the toes, in the presence of a small palmar membrane, and 
some other points. One of the most remarkable of its characters is the form of 
the dilatation at the extremity of the toes ; it is very small, transverse, trun- 
cated, and even a little emarginate ; in this respect it must be considered as con- 
stituting a very near approach to the family of the Ranid^. We are unfor- 
tunately without any information as to the habits of the only known species 
which could throw any light upon its relations ; but it is very clear that the 
dilatations of the toes are not such as to constitute it a true tree-frog, nor, on the 
other hand, are the connecting membranes of sufficient extent to give it the 
typical character of the swimming group of these animals. 
Batrachyla leptopuSo Mihi. 
Plate XVIII. — Fig. 5. 
Description. — Head depressed, broad, rounded. Nostrils small, placed near together. Eyes 
large, opening considerably upwards. Tongue nearly round, the posterior part free for about 
one-third of its length. Palatine teeth placed in two small oval groups, placed obliquely, 
between the posterior nostrils, separated from each other by a considerable space. Tympanum 
small, nearly round. Limbs of moderate length. The toes on all the feet depressed, slender, 
the terminal dilatation very small, transverse, truncated ; those of the fore feet connected at 
the base only, those of the hinder to the union of the first and second phalanges ; of those of 
the fore feet the third is the longest, then the fourth, the second, and the first ; of the hinder 
the fourth is the longest, then the third and fifth equal, then the second and the first. Thei’e 
are some minute scattered glands on the posterior part of the thighs. 
The only specimen in Mr. Darwin’s collection is in so bad a condition, that 
it is impossible to say with any certainty what is its natural colour. It is brown 
G 2 
