Ranidae 



with dark. Underparts white, distinctly or obscurely spotted 

 and mottled with dark. The throat of the male may be yellow. 

 The iris is either golden or reddish bronze. 



Measurements: Size large, both male and female often 

 reaching a length of 7 to 8 inches. The leg to the heel is not 

 as long as the combined lengths of head and body. The femur 

 is about equal to the tibia. 



Structure: The head is broad and flat. The body is stout 

 and flat. Ear of male much larger than the eye (Fig. 277); 

 the ear of the female is about the size of the eye. (Fig. 276.) 

 The lateral folds are lacking. (Figs. 276 and 278.) A strong 

 fold of skin extends from behind the eye to the arm, curving 

 around the ear. (Figs. 277 and 278.) Toes broadly webbed; 

 no joints free, except the last of the fourth toe. (Fig. 282.) 



Range: Rana catesbiana Shaw is found in North America, 

 east of the Rocky Mountains (including Florida and Texas). 



Bullfrogs are late in coming permanently from their hiber- 

 nation. 1 It may not be until late May or early June that we 

 hear their deep bass voices from the ponds, or that we see their 

 gigantic green bodies perched on partially immersed logs or 

 floating among water-weeds at the surface. They prefer large 

 ponds or lakes, where they can find deep water as well as shallow, 

 screened from the shore by low willows, alders or other water- 

 loving plants. They like such places, also, because of the shel- 

 tering growths of pickerel-weed, arrowhead, and water-lilies. 

 (Fig. 275.) These make good hiding-places, and about the 

 roots and stems and under the leaves are to be found cray- 

 fishes, water-beetles and bugs, snails and shrimps, the larae 

 of dragon-flies and May-flies, and, in fact, all sorts of delicacies 

 for a water frog's menu. For the Bullfrog differs from the 

 Leopard and Pickerel frogs, in that it does not hunt in any place 

 except the body of water which makes its home. We shall not 

 find Bullfrogs when we go for country walks across meadows 

 and through orchards, even though the meadows and orchards 

 may be near ponds or lakes. We are more likely to see them if 

 we go rowing on river or pond. The Bullfrog is more thoroughly 



1 Solitary individuals may remain active throughout the winter, in spring houses or large 

 springs, in the vicinity of Philadelphia. 



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