. Natural history. Zoology. 444 AMPHIBIA—ORDER Family Discoglossidce. The sixth family of the present sub-order includes four genera, with a very small number of species, and is confined to the northern half of the Eastern Hemisphere and New Zealand. These frogs, which have teeth in the upper jaw, and the extremities of the trans- verse processes of the sacral vertebra expanded, are specially distinguished by the retention of rudimental ribs. To this family belong the painted frog (Discoglosms pictiis) from the south of Europe and Algeria, and the fire-bellied frog {Bombinator ign
. Natural history. Zoology. 444 AMPHIBIA—ORDER Family Discoglossidce. The sixth family of the present sub-order includes four genera, with a very small number of species, and is confined to the northern half of the Eastern Hemisphere and New Zealand. These frogs, which have teeth in the upper jaw, and the extremities of the trans- verse processes of the sacral vertebra expanded, are specially distinguished by the retention of rudimental ribs. To this family belong the painted frog (Discoglosms pictiis) from the south of Europe and Algeria, and the fire-bellied frog {Bombinator igneus) of Europe and Asia, the latter having a triangular pupil to the eye, an adherent tongue, and no drum to the ear. The under-parts are mottled with orange or yellow, and the croak is very loud. The two European species of midwife-frogs (Alytes) are so named from the circumstance that the male takes the chains of eggs laid by the female and winds them round his hind-legs. After remaining concealed in a hole till the eggs are mature, he enters the water, when the tadpoles burst their shells. These two small Tropical American families differ from all the other mem- Families Hemi- ^^^^ of the sub-order in possessing teeth in both jaws, the phractidce and first of the two having the extremities of the horizontal Amphir/natho- transverse processes of the sacral vertebra cylindrical, dontidce. whereas in the second they are expanded. Sub-Order III.—Aglossa. The two genera and families by which alone this sub-order is represented differ from both the other subordinal groups in the complete absence of the tongue. The three African species of spur-toed frogs (Xenopus) are sufficiently dis- tinguished by possessing teeth in the upper jaw and the presence of spur- like nails on three Family of the toes of the Xenopodidce. hind - feet, which are fully webbed. Their tadpoles, which are born of large size, and without external gills, are furnished with a pair of barbels to the upper ja
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