2 Frogs of the Ohefinokee Swamp 



In 192 1 we entered the swamp with letters of introduction from the 

 Hebards of the Hebard Cypress Company. No one received finer courtesies 

 or consideration than we all the while we were in their midst. We camped in 

 the lumber settlement of 300 or 400 or more. The superintendents (John M. 

 Hopkins, A. J. Armstrong), gave instructions and courtesies which lightened 

 in many ways our search. To the superintendents on the island (H. S. 

 Quarterman and V. Alex, Quarterman), to the boarding house (Mr. Wm, J. 

 Wilson and his sympathetic women helpers), to the timber cutters, skidder 

 force, pile driver force, girdling crew, commissary or store unit, the shop 

 employees, we extended our thanks for countless favors. To eat and associate 

 with this roster of real workers who were truly tolerant of frogcatchers, snake 

 "doctors" and other such queer researchers as we is an opportunity and 

 experience we will never have again. As irregular as we might be in our 

 eating hours, Mrs. Wilson and her force were patient. To one group we owe 

 much help. They are the train force. These twelve or fifteen men (engi- 

 neers, firemen, flagmen) would stop a train in impossible places to pick us 

 up weary and often laden, or with engines in rare cases come for us at distant 

 points. For no one on Billy's Island's roster did the author feel more in- 

 debted than to Sam Edwards, the time keeper and in many ways chief 

 factotum. He was a well read man who could well understand the import of 

 our mission. All in interest, fine spirit, assistance and information contributed 

 to the attainment of our material. 



This official roster deserves considerable thanks but rest assured that we 

 were wise enough to enlist as well the interest of the Quarterman, Edwards, 

 Strickland, Woodward, Jordan, Craven, Carter, Cox, Bennett and other 

 Juniors who were volunteer assistants. 



Continually we interviewed the older inhabitants whose intimate ex- 

 periences with the fife of the region proved invaluable. Each of the Lee 

 brothers and the next generation as well we thus quizzed from the mammals 

 to the fishes. In the same way R. A. Chesser and his brother Sam with their 

 sons Ben, Harry, Ridley and Tom have unsparingly helped and wiUingly 

 recounted their knowledge and experiences. 



Messrs. James Henderson, Walter Davis, J. D. Hendrix, Julius Godwin, 

 Norman Godwin, each contributed notes as we went down the catalogue of 

 forms from fish to mammals and many a long session ensued. 



Two members of the Hebard Company who particularly had rich knowl- 

 edge of the swamp, its out of way parts and its rare inhabitants were par- 

 ticularly Sam Mizzell and his brother Hamp Mizzell. 



In 1922 we were the guests of the Chessers on Chesser Island and to 

 them we can never fully express the joyous and profitable summer they gave 

 us. In 1922 we returned to Billy's Island for a week or more and received 

 countless favors from our old friends of 1921 or of 1912-1921. All in all the 

 animal experiences related to us by the inhabitants and members of the 

 lumber colony as well were very valuable, particularly so for the birds and 

 mammals. For the cold blooded animals they had less observations. Never- 

 theless they knew where most of them occurred and helped in securing them. 



