DESCRIPTION OF A FROG FROM CEYLON. 
73 
DESCRIPTION OF A FROG FROM CEYLON, HITHERTO 
CONFOUNDED WITH “ RANA LIMNOCHARIS.” 
By G. A.. BouiiENGER, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S. 
R. E. E. GREEN has pointed out to me, as a result of his 
observation of living specimens, that two Ceylonese frogs 
have been confounded by Dr. Gunther and myself under the name 
Rana gracilis or R. limnocharis. Having also received quite 
recently, from the Trivandrum Museum, examples of another frog 
allied to R. limnocharis , I have availed myself of the opportunity 
for revising the specimens thus labelled in the British Museum 
collection. The frogs of this group are so variable in their 
characters that it is a difficult task to seize upon the points that 
may be safely relied upon in diagnosing species. But I think I 
may conclude that four species may be defined within the series 
of forms which have usually been designated as R , limnocharis , 
and I have drawn up the following key for their identification. 
Curiously, these small frogs do not appear at all in Kelaart’s 
Prodromus , although both the Ceylonese species are represented 
in Kelaart’s collection in the British Museum 
I. —Tibio-tarsal articulation not reaching tip of snout. First 
finger extending beyond second ; toes fully half-webbed ; outer 
metatarsal tubercle perfectly distinct; back warty, the warts often 
confluent into more or less regular longitudinal folds ; male with 
the sides of the throat black . 1. R . limnocharis , Boie 
(gracilis, Urigm.; agricola , Jerd.). S. China and Japan to Ceylon 
and Malay Archipelago. 
First finger extending but slightly, if at all, beyond second ; toes 
not quite half-webbed ; outer metatarsal tubercle indistinct, or 
confluent with the dermal fold of the outer toe ; back with more 
or less regular longitudinal folds; male with the sides of the 
throat grayish. 2. R. greenii , sp. n. 
II. —Tibio-tarsal articulation reaching tip of snout or a little 
beyond ; foot much more than half length of head and body. 
Toes half-webbed.3. R, nilagirica, Jerd. S. India. Toes 
barely one-third webbed. 4. R . brevipalmata , Peters. S. India.* 
* The species was very accurately described by Peters from a specimen pur¬ 
chased as from Pegu. This locality is probably erroneous. The numerous 
specimens I have seen are from the Nilgherry and Travancore hills. 
8(3)04 
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