Bufo Compactilis 



Range: Bufo eompactilis is reported from New Mexico, Texas, 

 and Kansas. 



Bufo compactilis bears, at first sight, a striking resemblance to 

 the burrowing Spadefoot Toads. It is like Scaphiopus bammondii 

 and Scaphiopus couchii in fact, in the shape and proportions of 

 body and legs, the size and disposition of the warts, and in the 

 unusual development of the foot for burrowing. The resemblance 

 is only superficial, however, as the horizontal pupil tells us at once. 

 Bufo compactilis is a true toad, closely related to Bufo cognatus. 



This toad has strong instincts for hiding and burrowing. 

 When kept in captivity in moss-gardens with other toads, it is 

 always found under the moss and leaves, while the others may be 

 on top. If it does happen to be out in search of food and an 

 enemy approaches, it flattens and spreads itself on the ground 

 until it looks like a circular pebbly surface elevated an inch or less. 



The young toads, when examined closely, sometimes show a 

 beautiful colouration. The soft grey-brown of the background is 

 enlivened by the bright red tips of the warts, and enriched by a 

 few black spots and many irregularly placed moss-green patches. 



The eye is bright and intelligent looking, and indicates the 

 alertness and activity which make this toad no exception in its 

 group. 



When annoyed, it gives repeatedly a note that has somewhat 

 the quality of the quack of a duck. But its musical powers do not 

 stop here, as we would know if we examined the throat region. 

 There is a wrinkled sac at the middle point of the throat, on a line 

 with the angles of the jaws. It consists of fold upon fold of thin 

 skin, confined to a spot of not more than one-half inch in diameter. 

 These folds are released one after another as the sac is inflated 

 until there is produced a large blind tube looking like the bladder 

 of a fish. (Figs. 96 to 98.) The toad may sit very erect while singing, 

 and the bladder extends forward and upward to a considerable 

 distance above the head. The call is very loud and penetrating, 

 and is harsh in quality. The calls are repeated continually, about 

 one per second, with a short pause between each two. The bladder 

 remains inflated during the calling but decreases somewhat in 

 size between the notes. The pitch in the specimens observed was 

 about two octaves above middle C (D }. Thejiotes were kept 



103 



