B u f o C h i l e n s i s . Bihr.
O f this species, which has been described under different names by many
naturalists, and the synonymy of which has only lately been cleared up by
Mons. Bibron, there exist numerous specimens in the collection of Mr. Darwin,
who found it at Buenos Ayres, and also in the Archipelago of Chonos, on the
west coast of South America. I t is certainly remarkable th a t the same
species should be found on the opposite sides of the C ontinent; but on a careful
examination I do not find any specific distinctions between the specimens from
the different localities. The Prince de Wied has described it as found a t Brazil,
under the name of Bufo cinctus, and it is also well known as having been re peatedly
procured in Peru and in Chile ; but Mons. Bibron has in his work considered
them all as belonging to hut one species. The following account of its
habits as given by Mr. Darwin is very curious and i n t e r e s t i n g “ These Toads
are exceedingly abundant all over the treeless damp mountains of granite,
crawling about, and eating during the daytime, and making a noise similar to
th a t which is commonly used in England to quicken horses. Many of them on
being touched close their eyes, arch their back, and draw up their legs (as if the
spinal marrow was divided), probably as an artifice. They are remarkable from
their curious manner of running like the Natter J a c k of England ; they scarcely
ever jump, neither do they crawl like a toad, but run very quickly. Their bright
colours give them a very strange appearance. They abound a t an elevation of
500 to 2500 feet.”
G e n u s— P H R Y N IS C U S .
P h r y n i s c u s n i g r i c a n s . Weigm.
P late X X .— F ig . 3, 4 , 5.
Dorso granuloso, scabriusculo. Pedibus posticis suhpalmatis. Corpore membrisque
nigris, abdomine maculâ magnâ transversa ad partem posteriorem et maculâ rotunda
utrinque mediumversus, palmis atque plantis, omnibus coccineis.
Phryniscus nigricans. Weigm. Nov. Act. Leop. X V I I. p. 264. Bibr. Hist. Rept. V I II. p. 723.
Chaunas fonnosus. Tschudi Classif. Batnich.
H a b ita t, Maldonado a n d B a h ia Blan ca.