52 
Annals of the Tkansvaal Museum. 
examination shows that the following species form a natural series leading 
from typical Rana to typical Pyxicephalus : fuscigula D.B., angolensis Boc., 
grayi Smith, natalensis Sm th and delalandi Tschud. There is indeed a very 
close general resemblance between R. grayi and R. ( P .) natalensis , and the 
colour pattern on the side of the head is practically identical in these two 
species. It is admitted that delalandi Tschudi and delalandi D.B. are strikingly 
different, and generic separation would perhaps be permissible were it not 
for the fact of the existence of such forms as grayi and natalensis. But 
even when we consider the extreme forms there is evidently more in common 
than exists between Rana and any other genus of the family ; so far as 
is known the skeletal characters are the same — certainly this is the case 
with the shoulder girdle — and the common feature of longitudinal glandular 
lines on the skin is not known in any other genus, at any rate in South Africa. 
Considering the wide range of variation which is exhibited even in the 
same species of Rana ( vide Boulenger in Brit. Mus. Cat.) I fail to see the 
wisdom of separating these two groups of frogs as distinct genera on such 
slender grounds. 
Rana angolensis Boc. and fuscigula D.B. — Mr. Boulenger’s distribution 
for fuscigula is “ South Africa, British Central Africa, West Africa ” ; 
Dr. Werner says “ South Africa und angeblich aus Sierra Leone ”, which 
is better in accordance with the known facts of distribution in South 
Africa, for here the species is confined to the western part of Cape Province 
and German South-West Africa, in which latter region it is rare apparently. 
The Angola species is angolensis, which spreads over the high plateau and 
eastern portions of South Africa ; if fuscigula of western Cape Province 
reappears in British Central Africa and then again in West Africa north 
of Angola its distribution must be very disconnected. The two species 
are not always easily distinguishable and quite possibly they are extreme 
forms of the same thing ; but however this may be, there is abundant 
reason for believing that the two forms occupy definite and distinct areas 
in this sub-continent. It seems as if Mr. Boulenger has confused together 
the two forms, for he records both species from the same collectors at 
Port Elizabeth, Calvinia, and Smithfield. As regards the Port Elizabeth 
species, the material lent me by Mr. Fitzsimons is undoubtedly angolensis ; 
the Calvinia record for angolensis certainly requires confirmation. The 
proportions of the hind-limb relative to the body is no doubt, as emphasized 
in Mr. Boulenger’s key, a good distinguishing character, but it may be 
doubted if this character alone is really reliable ; at any rate the shape 
of the snout should be taken into consideration. 
Bro. J. H. Power has taken angolensis at Modder River. 
R. queketii Boul. is now reduced by its author as a synonym of fuscigula 
D.B., but, assuming the correctness of the locality record (Pietermaritzburg), 
I doubt if it be the same thing as fuscigula of western Cape Province ; 
the original description gave the toes as two thirds webbed but fuscigula 
has entirely webbed feet. If my view be correct, that this is a form of 
angolensis, here is an instance of the uncertainty of the character of 
relative length of hind- limb and body. Dr. Werner recorded queketti 
from Lobatsi, but added that it differed only from fuscigula in the shorter 
web and unspotted throat ; but it is evident that he was dealing with a 
juvenile specimen 34 mm. long, and no importance can be attached thereto. 
