FIELD BOOK OF PONDS AND STREAMS 



under part of the body is white in front washed with bright 

 orange behind and on the hind legs. 



Habits, habitat. — Like the leopard, the pickerel frog 

 hibernates in streams, under stones. Wright trapped many 

 of them at the mouths of ravines, as they were migrating 

 downstream to their spring breeding places in the swampy 

 valley below. Their spring call is similar to that of the 

 leopard frog, is pitched low, and has a distinct snoring quality. 



Breeding habits, life history. — Although pickerel frogs are 

 . inclined to be shy and solitary at other times, they are gregari- 

 ous enough during the breeding season, and easy to approach. 

 They lay their eggs in shallow water attached to submerged 

 sticks, often several bunches to one stick. The tadpoles 

 transform in late summer. 



Size. — The body is about 2 inches long; the female is a little 

 larger. 



Range. — Eastern North America from the Atlantic to the 

 Great Plains. 



Fig. 308. — ^Eastern wood frog, Rafia sylvatica. 



Eastern wood frog, Rana sylvatica. — The upper parts of 

 the wood frog vary from light fawn color to dark brown; be- 

 neath it is almost pure white. Its distinctive mark is a prom- 

 inent dark brown or blackish cheek patch below which a light 

 line extends along the upper jaw to the shoulder (Fig. 308). 



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