HYPEROLIUS HORSTOCKII. * Eucnemis Horstockii, Tschudi, Classif. Batrach, Mem. Societ.
Scienc. Nat. Neuch, tom. ii. page 35 et 76, No. 19. Dum. et Bib. Erpet. Gener. tom. viii.
folio 529. Hyla Horstockii, Schleg. Abbild. Ampb. Decas 1, p. 24.
Inhabits marshy districts, and the banks of rivers, and is usually obtained on the leaves of
small shrubs, reeds, orjstrong grass, which frequently abound in the localities mentioned.
HYP EROLIUS M ARMOR ATU S, Rapp, Archiv. fur N aturgeschichte, von Dr. W. F. Erichson,
Band 1, folio 289, taf. vi. figs. 1 & 2.
This, like Hyperolius Horstockii, is about an inch in length. In some specimens the upper
parts are dark liver-brown, profusely marked with pale yellow dots; in others the ground colour is
pale cream-yellow, variegated with irregular liver-brown bands, streaks, or blotches. . The eyes are
very large, and the head in front of the eyes is much shorter than in H. Horstockii, and shows no.
distinct rostral can thus; its abdominal surface is finely corrugated : in H . Horstockii that is distinctly
granular.
This species is found abundantly in the neighbourhood of Port Natal, and, like H . Horstockii,
is found bn the leaves-of-shrufis, reeds, and strong grass.
HYPEROLIUS VERRUCOSUS, Swidevall, n. s.
Head the same width as the body, very short and narrow in front of the eyes; nose rounded,
nasal, canthus obsolete; nostrils close to nose. Eyes large and very prominent. Body convex above;
sides nearly perpendicular; extremities moderately robust; apex of toes moderately enlarged. Toes
of hinder feet webbed till near the point; »those of fore feet free. Upper surface of head, back, and
outer surface of extremities, with small, thinly set granulations; under surface with larger ones closely
set, those of the belly largest. The colour of the upper surface of the head dark greyish brown, variegated
with spots, stripes, or broken bars of pale sienna-yellow or cream-yellow. Extremities pale
buff-orange; the thighs externally freckled with dull olive-green. Inner surface of thighs and belly,
dull reddish orange; chin and throat pale yellow. Length 1 inch. The colours are those of a specimen
preserved in spirits.
Inhabits Kaffirland to, the eastward of the Cape Colony. It may possibly be only a variety
of Hyperolius marmoratus, but in order to decide this it will be necessary to have an opportunity,
beyond what I have, of examining more than one specimen;
HYPEROLIUS TUBERILINGUIS, Sundevall, n. s.
Head not quite so, wide as the body, short and narrow in front of the eyes; nose slightly
rounded; rostral canthus obtuse. Nostrils small, immediately under rostral canthus, and close to apex
of nose. Eyes moderately large, and not very prominent. Body broad anteriorly, very narrow posteriorly;
sides rather protuberant; back convex. Extremities long, and rather slender; toes of fore
feet free, hinder considerably webbed. The skin of the upper parts of the body, the throat, and
extremities smooth, of the abdomen and under surface of the thigh granular. Tongue posteriorly
* In 1842, the term Hyperolius was proposed by Rapp as a substitute for Eucnemis of Tschudi, the latter having in
1823 been adopted for a group of insects. Vide Archiv. fur Naturgeschichte, von Dr. W. F. Erichson, Erster, Band,
folio 290.
free and bifid, anteriorly somewhat pqinted, with a small, distinct wart on each side, a little
behind the apex. Colour of upper parts, in a specimen preserved in. spirits, pale greenish grey ; of
under parts of body, and under surface of thighs, light reddish orange. Toes pale brownish red.
Length ! inch 3 lines.
Inhabits the country to the- eastward of the. Cape Colony. The small globular wart on each
side of the tongue, near its apex, constitutes a good diagnostic character.
BUFO PANTHERINUS, Boic. Tschudi, Classif. Batrach, Mem. Societ. Scienc. Nat. Neuch, tom. ii.
p. 88. Bufo 'Arabicus, Ruppel, Atl. Reis, Noerdl, Afrik, Rept. p. 20, tab. iii., fig. 2. Bufo
regularis, Rems. Mus. Senckenb, tom. i. page 60..
This toad is found abundantly throughout the whole of Southern Africa, and specimens are
easily procured in the vicinity of Cape Town, more especially after a fall of rain.
BREVICEPS GIBBOSUS, Merr. Tent. Syst. Amph. page 178. Bufo gibbosus, Daud. Hist, Rain.
Gren. et Crap, page 80, plate 29, fig. 1, and plate 35, fig. 2. Engystoma dorsatum et granosum, Cuv.
' ReS- Animal, 2nd edition, tom. ii. page 112, Bum. et Bib. Erpet. Gener; tom. viii. page 764.
Regen-padda of the Cape Colonists.
Specimens of this species are rarely obtained, and those I have seen were all procured in the
districts towards Cape Town.
BREVICEPS VERRUCOSUS, Rapp. Archiv. fur Naturgeschichte, von Dr, Erichson, Band 1,
fol. 291, taf. vi. fig. 5.
Head scarcely distinct from the body, the latter subglobular. Above dirty reddish brown,
variegated with two or four rows of dull orange-yellow spots, more or less distinct ; under parts dirty
greenish yellow ; a blackish blotch on each side of head below the angle of the mouth. Surface of
skin warty. Pupil transversely ovate. Iris coppery-green. Length from 2£ inches to 3 inches.
Inhabits the whole of Southern Africa ; but specimens are seldom procured. It lives in holes
or burrows in the ground, from which it émerges before or during rain, and on such occasions croaks
loudly ; hence it is known in the Colony by the name of Rain Paddock. When irritated, it inflates the
lungs to their utmost extent, and is then like a distended bladder, and discharges profusely from pores
in the skin a tenacious acrid mucus.
ENGYSTOMA GUTTATA, Rapp. Archiv. fur Naturgeschichte, von Dr. Erichson, Band. i.
fol. 219, taf. vi. figs. 3 and 4.
Head small ; nose narrow, and nearly pointed. Body large, slightly depressed, and subcircular ;
back convex. Colour of upper surface of body and outer surface of extremities, pale brownish red,
variegated with small, pale sienna-yellow spots ; under parts yellowish white.
Inhabits the south-eastern coast of Africa, particularly towards Port Natal.
DACTYLETHRA CAPENSIS, Cuv. Reg. Animal, 2nd edition, tom. ii. page 107, plate 7, fig. 3.
Bum. et Bib. Erpet. Gener. tom. viii. page 765, plate 92, fig. 1 & la. Xenophus Boiei, Wagler,
Syst. Amph. page 199. Water-padda of the Cape Colonists.