Rana Draytonii 



This frog can be recognised at once because of the presence 

 and distribution of red colour on the underparts. This colour 

 is vividly displayed on the sides when the frog is in sitting posi- 

 tion; considerable red is sometimes found on the upper surfaces 

 of the body and legs, blending with the rich chocolate-brown 

 of the upper parts. (Colour Plate XV.) The dark brown or black 

 patch of colour in the region of the ear will help to identify the 

 frog sometimes, but very often this spot is no darker than the 

 background of colour elsewhere. The iris is rich orange-bronze, 

 instead of yellow, as in its near neighbour, Rana pretiosa. But 

 from this species the smooth, firm texture of the skin on the soles 

 of its feet will at once distinguish it. (See Fig. 252. Compare 

 with Fig. 263.) The tubercles under the joints of fingers and 

 toes are unusual in size. There is great variety in the size and 

 appearance of the spots on different individuals. Some are 

 almost plain in colour and some are conspicuously spotted. 

 The spots may be of large size (see Fig. 256) or very small. 

 They may be spots of solid colour or may have lighter centres. 

 (Fig. 254.) The spots may infringe on the lateral folds, in fact, 

 sometimes small spots are aggregated along the lateral folds. 



For the exact webbing of the toes, see Fig. 252. The web 

 of the male is broader than that of the female. The first finger 

 on the hand of the male is thickened and hardened at its base, 

 and is dark-coloured and horny, especially on its upper surface. 

 All of the fingers are unusually long. (Fig. 253.) 



Rana draytonii hibernates in the mud at the bottom of ponds 

 and creeks in winter, when the air is colder than the mud and 

 water. Here the frogs would be at the mercy of their enemies 

 the large water-beetles, water-snakes, and especially the leeches, 

 except that the cold affects these enemies in the same fashion, 

 and they are sleeping also. 



In the region of middle California, this frog comes from 

 its hibernation in late January or in February. The large egg- 

 clusters are laid at once in the shallow water of ponds. It is 

 said that the eggs hatch in about six weeks, and that the tad- 

 poles become young frogs in four or five months. 1 



The young frog is very small in the first year and still during 

 the second and third years, in fact, it takes four or five years 



1 Facts given by S. C. Coombs, Frog Ranch, South San Francisco, Cal. 



2I 5 



