Vol. 35, pp. 107-110 October 17, 1922 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



>jj LIB 

 NEW FROGS FROM MINNESOTA. 



BY ALFRED C. WEED. 



In studying any species of animal it is a great advantage to 

 be able to see a large number of specimens. In the present case, 

 F. J. Burns & Co., produce dealers of Chicago, very kindly gave 

 me free access to the frogs they have brought here for sale. In 

 some cases locahty records are poor but, in general, we are able 

 to be fairly sure of the name of the place from which the ship- 

 ment was made and it seems likely that the frogs were actually 

 caught within a few miles of the shipping point. 



One of the forms here described has been recognized for some 

 years and considered simply as an aberrant form of Rana 

 pipiens. The other is apparently undescribed, although it 

 seems to be very well marked and present in fairly large num- 

 bers in a rather restricted region. 



There may be some question as to the propriety of describing 

 species based on color characters alone, especially in a group 

 where the color variation of any particular individual may be 

 so great as in the frogs. However the author feels that the 

 differences shown are so constant and of such a degree as to 

 warrant their receiving a name and that their exact status, 

 whether specific, subspecific or varietal must be determined by 

 future examination, for which he has neither the time nor the 

 equipment. It seems probable that the final decision as to the 

 vaUdity of these species must rest on the result of carefully con- 

 trolled breeding experiments. 



Both of these forms are sufficiently different from Rana 

 pipiens to be readily seen in a tank containing several thousand 

 frogs of that species. 



23— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash.. Vol. 35, 1922. (107) 



