greenish yellow variegated with liver-brown stripes Tympanum black.* and cream-yellow spots.
F o rm , &c.—Head viewed from above subcorneal-; the nose prolonged considerably
beyond the under jaw, its apex slightly rounded; palatal teeth
apart from the nostrils, vide fig. J, a ; tongue broad, subovate, and rather
strongly forked, vide fig. 1, l ; rostral canthus obtuse; sides of head as far as
the middle of the upper lip inclined obliquely outwards, the edge of the lip
inclined inwards; nostrils small, and situated on the rostral canthus, about
halfway between the point of the nose and anterior angle of the eye. Eyes
moderately large; eye-shield prominent and arched ; tympanum nearly circular,
close to and directly over the angle of the mouth, its surface marked
with six or more radii, which proceed from the centre to the circumference.
Body rather bulky, back flat, sides prominent and arched; fore legs short and
. rather slender ; toes at base connected by a subrudimentary web, all are rather
slender, the outer, the third, and the innermost nearly of equal length, the second
rather longer; the inner one at its base enlarged ; on the sole of the foot
behind the second and third toes a small convex tubercle, also one, but smaller,
under each joint of the toes. Hind extremities long and robust, the toes
webbed nearly to their point, vide fig. lj c, the outermost and the third of
equal length, the second much longer, the fourth considerably shorter than
the third, and the fifth about half the length of the fourth, the point of each
is rounded and obtuse, and under each joint is a small subovate or hemispherical
tubercle. The tarsus is margined externally with .a narrow semicar-
tilaginous ridge, which is directed down wards. Skin generally smooth, with
short longitudinal plica on the back and sides disposed in several rows most
distinct on the anterior and middle parts of the former; in some specimens
these plica are scarcely if at all visible. Length from nose to anus, 3 inches;
length of hinder extremities, 5 inches.
This frog occurs throughout the whole of Southern Africa, and is to be obtained in great
abundance in the vicinity of Cape Town. It is generally observed on dry ground, but readily
takes to water when alarmed or pursued, if the latter be within its reach. For further remarks
in reference to this species, see description of Sana Oxyrhynchm.
Almost every specimen of this species presents some peculiarity in respect of colour, hence it is
almost impossible to particularize variegations which are- universal. The more prevalent are, the dark
rostral line, the blackish blotch encircling the tympanum, the club-shaped »pots on the hindhead, the bars '
on the extremities, and the oblique white line on the side of the head. In many individuals the variegations
on the back are as in the specimen figured and described; in others, they consist in a profusion of
irregular dark spots, while in a third class the back is comparatively without marks of any description ;
in some specimens, again, a yellow line is seen to extend from the nose to the anus in both sexes.
RANA OXYRHYNCHUS.—S uh.d e r v a l l .
Reptilta.—Plate 77.— F ig . 2.—2 a, b, c— (Female).
R. superne pallide viridi-cinerea, dorso maculis nigro-viridibus variegatis, partibus inferioribus subflavis ;
capute conico; naso ultra mandibulam porrecto; lingua angusta subovata; dentibus vomerianis ad
nares extensis, dorsi laterumque cute plene plicata.
C o l o u r ._The upper parts o f the hind head and body, the sides and the
outer surface of the extremities, intermediate between oil-green and wood-
brown, the sides faintly clouded with clear oil-green, the anterior portion
of the upper surface of the head pale wood-brown. The variegations liver-
brown or greenish black, and there are a number of small quadrangular spots
arranged in several longitudinal rows on the back, an irregular blotch on
each eyebrow, a stripe between eye and nostril, a large oblique blotch
between the eye and the base of the fore leg, including the tympanum, a few
short narrow lines on the sides, two or three transverse bars on outer surface
of fore legs anteriorly, and six or seven of the like kind on the same parts
of the legs, three or four on the outer side of the tarsus, and several on the
outer side of the thigh towards its anterior edge; the latter are less distinct
than the others; in some instances they consist of a series of separate quadrangular
spots, in others, of pale bars crossed, a" darker line giving an
appearance of a series of spots ; posterior surface of thighs greenish black,
reticulated or freckled with pale ochre-yellow lines or blotches, outer
surface of legs posteriorly thinly sprinkled with small blackish green
spots, each with a white or yellowish centre; toes dull sienna-yellow, the
outer and second of hinder feet with several transverse greenish black bars
towards their base. Tympanum greenish black, and surrounded with a
narrow, yellowish ring; upper lip pale rusty brown, sparingly freckled with
yellow, and over these colours, between them and the dark blotch which
descends from the eye to the base of the fore leg there is an ochre-yellow
stripe, which commences 9, little below the anterior canthus of the eye
and reaches to angle of the mouth ; lower jaw pale brownish red, sparingly
barred with ochre-yellow. The under parts of the head and body, and the