82 



The Ottawa Naturalist 



[Vol. XXXII. 



by Walter Sidebottom, was an example of this 

 species, the only one I know of taken in the pro- 

 vince, although the species should be found in most 

 of the wooded regions. It was identified by Dr. L. 

 Stejneger. The specimen is now in the American 

 Museum, New York. 



LEOPARD-FROG OR SPOTTED GREEN-FROG, 

 Rana pipiens Schreber. 



This is the common frog of Manitoba. I found it 

 abundant at Winnipeg, Lower Fort Garry, Selkirk, 

 Shoal Lake, Lake Winnipegosis, Carberry, Brandon, 

 Whitewater Lake and Boissevain ; Preble reports it 

 from Norway House (N. A. Fauna No. 22, p. 

 133.) It is, doubtless, found throughout the 

 province. 



It is readily distinguished by the conspicuous black 

 spots outlined in white with which its green skin is 

 decorated. 



On June 16, 1888, near Toronto, I killed a 

 common Gartersnake. It had in its stomach a frog 

 which had in its stomach a potato beetle and a large 

 water shell. 



W. L. Hine related to me a curious incident: 

 "One day," says he, "when out collecting, I shot a 

 goldfinch. I marked it down, and, though there was 

 little cover, I could not find it. A large green frog 

 was hopping away from the place, and I saw some- 

 thing sticking from its mouth. This, on closer view, 

 proved to be the legs and wings of the goldfinch. I 

 recovered the specimen, but it was spoiled. Many 

 specimens of small birds mysteriously disappear when 

 shot near frog ponds ; and I doubt not that the above 

 contains the explanation." 



Like most of the frogs, it winters deep in the mud, 

 though not necessarily under water. 



WOOD-FROG, 

 Rana caniabrigensis cantabrigensis (Baird). 



This small frog is much less abundant than the 

 preceding. I found it at Winnipeg, Lower Fort 

 Garry, Selkirk, Shoal Lake and Carberry. Preble 

 found it at Norway House, Playground Lake, York 

 Factory and Fort Churchill (N.A.F. 22, p. 133), 

 and notes it as the common frog of the Mackenzie 

 River Basin (N.A.F. No. 27, p. 501). He calls it 

 laliremis. 



It is easily distinguished by the absence of con- 

 spicuous spots, except the broad black bar along the 

 cheek. It is found in the woods, often far from 

 water; in the early spring it makes the ponds re- 

 sound with its short, harsh, quacking notes. 



In late July, 1918, at my country home, Green- 

 wich, Connecticut, four deep post-holes were dug 

 for a fence and left open some weeks. During the 

 last of July, or perhaps the first week of August, the 

 Wood-frogs were performing their usual overland 



migration away from the water. About a score or 

 more fell into each of the holes. During August I 

 was away, but I returned in mid-September. The 

 frogs were still hopping about in the holes, but hope- 

 lessly imprisoned. I now set them free ; all seemed 

 fat and lively ; yet apparently all had been without 

 food or water for six or seven weeks. With them 

 were one or two Toads, also some beetles and a 

 berry-bug. 



NORTHERN OR MINK FROG, 

 Rana sepienirionalis Baird. 



Recorded by Kennicott as taken at Selkirk Settle- 

 ment. So called because it smells like a mink. 



BULL-FROG. (?) 

 Rana catesbeiana Shaw. 



This has been reported to me from the Red River 

 Valley, but I have not seen specimens, and enter it 

 with a question. 



In my Connecticut home I have seen great num- 

 bers of tadpoles of the Bullfrog, all winter long, in 

 the ice, and washed up on the ice during January 

 freshets. As they were strictly in tadpole stage, this 

 illustrates the fact that they are two years in 

 maturing. 



The following interesting note on the age of Bull- 

 frogs appears in the Guide to Nature for November, 

 1910, p. 277, quoted from Brool^lyn Museum Netvs: 



"Our two Bullf rogs,/^ana catesbeiana, after having 

 been in captivity for eight years, died in August. 

 Frequent mention of these frogs have been made in 

 previous numbers of the Museum News, but as little 

 seems to be known concerning the age of Bullfrogs, 

 it may be worth while to record the following data: 

 The frogs came to us from Elmhurst, L.I., m the 

 summer of 1902, when fully grown. The male 

 measured 12.6 inches and the female 14.4 inches 

 total length. Three days before death the male 

 weighed 15 ozs., and the female 25 ozs. Allowing 

 two years for the tadpole stage and 3 years for the 

 growth as frogs, our two captives must have been at 

 least 13 years old, counting from the egg state. 

 Under natural and favorable conditions, it seems 

 possible that Bullfrogs live from 1 5 to 20 years." 



SPRING PEEPER OR HYLA, 

 Hyla crucifer Wied. 



According to Stejneger and Barbour, this well- 

 known pond whistler ranges from New Brunswick to 

 Manitoba ; therefore, it is listed here, although I do 

 not know of any specimens taken in the province. 



NORTHERN SPRING PEEPER, PEEPER FROG, OR SWAMP 

 WHISTLER, Pseudacris triseriata (Wied). 



This tiny frog, an inch long from nose to stern 

 when full grown, is abundant in all places of the 



