Scaphiopus holhrookii 8i 



Hargitt (1888, pp. 535-537) writes: "A summer on Martha's Vineyard, and 

 the occasion of a sudden and tremendous rainfall, afforded the opportunity for 

 certain very interesting observations. 



"My observations, as will be seen, add but little that is new; yet a record 

 of them may contribute somewhat to corroborate and extend that which does 

 exist. 



"One afternoon, about August 10, 1887, while at work in the laboratory of 

 the Martha's Vineyard Summer Institute, in company with Dr. H. W. Conn, 

 Professor L. W. Chaney, and others, a very sudden and torrential rainstorm 

 occurred, lasting some two hours or more. During an interval of cessation 

 our attention was diverted by weird, plaintive sort of cries, which none at 

 first was able to explain. Darting out through the still-falling rain toward a 

 low sort of hollow, from which the cries seemed to come, it was found to have 

 been converted into quite a pond, though previously quite dry. In this, and 

 swimming about in a state of the greatest activity and excitement, were what 

 looked to be scores of toads. No difficulty was found in securing a few spec- 

 imens, which were at once identified as 'spadefoots.' Procuring a scoop-net 

 we took several dozens of them, leaving many more in the pond. 



"This was about four o'clock in the afternoon, and they continued their 

 orgies till late at night. But I made careful examination the following morn- 

 ing, without finding a single specimen — not even a sign of one. In the water 

 I found plenty of the spawn attached to grass and floating in strings, loosely 

 attached to weeds — a fact which clearly indicated the purpose of their presence 

 and peculiar excitement. 



"On account of the pressure of other studies, I was not able to watch the 

 development of the eggs. Indeed, I doubt whether they ever hatched, as the 

 pond was nearly dry before the close of the following day, and the soil, being 

 the loose sandy drift pecuhar to that locality, would not certainly retain 

 water for sufficeint time for the growth of the tadpole — if, indeed, for the 

 hatching of the eggs, though, as to this, last, I cannot say, as I left before it 

 could have occurred. 



"This characteristic of the spawning habit is certainly peculair, and seems 

 somewhat difficult to explain. First, the lateness of the season is remarkable. 

 It is said that a related Eurpoean species breeds twice a year. Can it be 

 possible that such is the case with Scaphiopus? There are some facts which 

 seem to indicate that it might be, though it is hardly probable. Second, the 

 places of spawning is still more remarkable. From the observations of Dr. 

 Abbott and Colonel Pike, as well as my own, the choice seems to be for some 

 temporary sink-hole or surface-pond. If the conditions for development in 

 these places from speedy drainage, etc., were not so utterly precarious, it 

 might be thought a shrewd precaution for evading the natural enemies common 

 in the more permanent ponds and bogs. Altogether, the case seems to be quite 

 anomalous, 



"But to refer again to the adults in the pond: There they were by scores. 

 Whence had they come, and in such numbers? In all probabilities, from the 

 ground of the bordering hillsides and environs. But not a single specimen was 



