78 Frogs of the Okefinokee Swamp 



resides, like the ant-lion, seizing upon such unwary insects as may enter its 

 dwelling. It never leaves its hole, except in the evening, or after long con- 

 tinued rains. It shows great dexterity in making its dwelling, sometimes us- 

 ing the nates, and fastening itself by the spade-like process; at others it uses 

 the legs with these processes, like a shovel, and will in this way conceal itself 

 with great rapidity. In progression its motions are not very lively, and its 

 powers of leaping but feebly developed." 



Harlan (1835, p. 106) thinks the spade "must materially aid the animal in 

 climbing steep and slippery ascents. Habits are said to be peculiar; about the 

 size of the Esculent frog. Inhabits South Carohna." 



DeKay (1842, pp. 66, 67) holds "It lives in small holes, in damp earth, a 

 few inches below the surface, which it excavates with great ease by means of 

 its spadehke processes. In these holes it hes in wait for such insects as may 

 approach, and I suspect can spring forth to seize whatever may be passing in- 

 cautiously near its hiding place. I remarked, at least in those which I had 

 alive, that it leaped with great apparent ease to a considerable distance. To 

 judge from those in my possession, although completely identical with the 

 solitarius, I should be disposed to believe that our northern variety is less 

 brilliant in its markings, and its general color is of a more grave and sombre 

 hue." 



LeConte (1855, p. 430) holds that "Although very seldom seen except 

 when accidentally turned up by the spade or the plough, yet the Scaphiopus 

 is a very common animal in Georgia. Whenever the Southeast storms occur 

 at the Autumnal Equinox, the surface of the earth is covered with them, and 

 their dismal croaking adds to the horror of the howling winds and the deluges 

 of water which pour down from the heavens. They have also been found in 

 Connecticut and Massachusetts. When placed upon the ground they dig with 

 remarkable celerity, and soon entirely bury themselves in the earth." 



Smith (1879, pp. 651, 652) observes: "For more than two years I have 

 been looking for the 'spade-foot' (Scaphiopus holbrookii) in and about New 

 Haven, confident that it occurred here and that careful search would reveal 

 it; but my efforts have been vain until very lately. Thursday, April 24th, I 

 saw some children gathered around an object on the pavement of Prospect 

 street, and I asked them what they had. They replied that they had dug up 

 a toad in the next yard. You can imagine my surprise and delight to behold 

 a real live 'spade-foot,' the first I had ever seen aUve. They wilhngly gave it 

 to me, and I carefully took it home with me and kept it alive in a large box 

 with plenty of earth and a tub of water. 



"Tuesday morning (the 29th) I was shooting small birds near Fair Haven, 

 when I heard a most peculiar bellowing from a pond near by. I am more or 

 less famihar with all the ordinary sounds that come from a pond, and I jumped 

 at the conclusion that I heard the 'spade-foot.' On reaching the pond I saw 

 a sight I shall never forget ; the pond was rather small, and was swollen and 

 overflowing on account of the heavy rains of the two preceding days, and 

 swimming all over the surface, and at times uttering their peculiar bellow, were 

 forty or fifty of my long-sought friends. They would float or swim awkwardly 



