BREEDING HABITS OF AMPHIBIA 



37 



Breeding oociirs in April and May, the eggs being layed in long spiral tubes of jelly 

 and totalling up to 20,000 in exceptional cases. The average is about 6,000. The time 

 necessary for hatching is 2 to 17 days, depending upon the temperature, and for metamor- 

 phosis in nature is about 60 days and occurs in August. The temperature tolerance is from 

 about 50°F. to 86°F. 



Bufo fowleri, Fowler's 

 toad . 



Fowler's toad feigning 

 deat)j. After Dickersoii. 



Bufo americanus, 

 American toad. 



tiie 



Left: Egg cables of American 

 toad twenty-four hours after 

 tliey were laid. Riglit: Same 

 cables tliree days later, s)]Ow- 

 ing newly liatclied larvae. 

 After Dickerson. 



(Courtesy C. H. Pope 19!+!+: 

 Chicago Mue. Nat. Hist.) 



BUTO FOWLERI . Fowler's toad. This smaller toad is found along 'beachss, roadsides, and in 

 sandy areas where there may be shallow water in the central, east and northeastern States. 

 The adults measure not more than 5 inches in length. The general color is green with mid- 

 dorsal light stripe. The male throat is black. The warts are generally small, rounded 

 and uniform, and generally at least 5 warts are enclosed in each dark patch. Conspicuous 

 shoulder glands, the parotids, are oval and long and in contact with long ridges behind 

 the eyes. Food the same as Bufo americanus. 



Breeding occurs from April to June, a little later than for Bufo americanus. About 

 8.000 eggs are layed in strings, each egg measuring about 1.0 to 1.2 mm. in diameter. The 

 metamorphic span takes about k-0 to 60 days and is generally complete by August. 



