BROWN TREE-FROG. 
361 
golden brown tint, like sun-rays shining through 
tortoiseshell. This specimen was about as large as 
a middling English Frog, being two inches and a 
quarter in length.* 
While in captivity, if unmolested, it spent a good 
deal of time motionless, squatting flat and close, with 
shut eyes, as if sleeping ; but sometimes it was active. 
I kept it in a basin covered with a pane of glass, for 
facility of observation. It would keep its face op- 
posite the window, altering its position pertinaciously 
if the basin was turned, though ever so gently. It 
took no notice of cockroaches, nor of a large flesh- 
fly, which buzzed about it, and even crawled over its 
nose. If taken in the hand, it struggled vigorously, 
so as to be with difficulty held : once or twice, while 
thus struggling, it uttered a feeble squeak ; but if still 
retained, it would at length inflate the abdomen with 
air, apparently a sign of anger. It leaped, but not far. 
* This seems to be an undescribed species, agreeing with Hyla 
xerophylla (Dum. and Bibr. ) in many points, but differing from it in 
others. It may be thus described. 
Hyla hrunnea, mihi. The Brown Tree-frog. Length of head | in. ; 
breadth of head ; trunk, length, 11; breadth ; fore limb 11; 
hind limb 3^; (thigh and shank, each 1^; foot 1|;) pallettes cir- 
cular, those of middle finger and toe ^ in. in diameter. Head broad, 
flat, semi-oval, rough with minute granulations ; eyes large and very 
prominent ; canihus rostralis forming rather more than a right angle ; 
frenal regions not so high as the cheeks. Tongue very large, heart- 
shaped, notched behind ; a longitudinal depression extends about half 
way from the notch to the front ; another longitudinal depression is on 
each side near the margin ; scarcely at all free behind. Vomerine 
teeth in two small semi-circular ranges, between the internal nostrils. 
Tympanum nearly circular, its diameter about half that of the eye. 
The palmation and other particulars as in H. xerophylla. Colours 
described in the text. 
R 
