POPE: WEST INDIAN ANURA IN BERMUDA. 123 



town, in 1914, tadpoles were abundant in July and August, and a lot 

 taken during the last week in July reached the adult stage on and 

 after August 16. From this the writer concludes that the eggs were 

 laid about the first of July, and that in Demerara the species breeds 

 in the long wet season, from the middle of April to September first. 

 It is possible that it also breeds in the short wet season, which begins 

 in November and lasts until the end of January, as stated by Bodkin 

 (quoted by Clark), but, in the opinion of the writer, this has not as yet 

 been established." 



An interesting question arises here as to whether the toad breeds 

 once or twice a year. 



In Bermuda it probably spawns but once, as there are no definite 

 data to the contrary. However, this may be due to the fact that the 

 winter season is much cooler than summer, and probably the toads 

 are less active at that time. 



Dr. Crozier has looked for them this winter (1916-1917), but failed 

 to find any, so they are probably in hibernation. 



From Ruthven's paper it appears that development from egg to 

 adult requires about forty -five days. Probably this would be shortened 

 by the drying of the pools, as is the case with our northern amphibians. 

 From what I have been told, I think that development must be even 

 more rapid than this in Bermuda. It would be interesting to obtain 

 exact figures on this question, for such a short tadpole stage is unusual. 



Dr. Mark has given me the following data: 



" In the spring of 1903, in company with Professor C. L. Bristol of 

 New York University, I made a trip to Bermuda. In the course of 

 one of our excursions made at the invitation of the Hon. Ambrose 

 Gosling, the Hon. F. Goodwin Gosling and the late Mr. James Trim- 

 ingharn, we visited 'Spanish Rock' near mid-day April 22. Before 

 reaching the Rock we found, on the slope facing away from the ocean 

 and toward Spittal Pond, a small pool of rain water (there had been a 

 heavy shower the night before), and in this pool there were large 

 numbers of the huge toad - - Bufo agua -- in pairs. The females were 

 engaged in spawning, and the numerous strings of spawn were stretched 

 across the pool in almost every conceivable direction. The pool, 

 some fifteen or twenty feet in diameter and only a few inches deep, 

 was of so temporary a character that its bottom consisted through- 

 out of turf, not unlike that immediately surrounding it which was not 

 submerged. I secured a considerable quantity of the most freshly 

 deposited ' strings ' and kept it in a vessel with some of the rain water. 

 Portions of this material I preserved in formalin at intervals, and from 



