Scaphiopus holhrookii 87 



summer several frogs of this curious species were noticed by John Swinnerton 

 Esq., now deceased, who resided very near this spot for sixty successive years, 

 and had ample opportunity to observe them. Their numbers in this, their 

 first appearance, were as great as any time since, determined by the testimony 

 of several witnesses. At this time, during one or two days and nights, they 

 were very noisy and actively engaged in fulfilling the great fiat of creation; 

 and soon afterward they disappeared. Nothing more was seen of them for 

 several years. Their voices or note so nearly resembled that of young crows 

 that it attracted the attention of Mr. Elijah Pope, a farmer, who lived half a 

 mile distant; and, accompanied by his son, sallied forth, gun in hand, to kill 

 what he so naturally imagined was mischievous birds in his corn-field. From 

 this Httle anecdote I am enabled to determine their first observed appearance 

 with some degree of certainty; thus defining the time as about the first of 

 September, when corn is in a state to be fed upon by a crow: while, again, 

 the year mentioned above, agree with a statement of the son, Mr. N. Pope, 

 who from his own present age, concludes that 1812 or a year or two earlier, 

 was the time of their first visit. 



"So far as recollection serves, nothing more was seen of them until July 

 1825, on a day memorable for the passage of La Fayette over the Newbury- 

 port Turnpike close by, on his return to Boston from his eastern tour; at 

 which time their voices added to the welcome greetings of a nation's guest! 

 Since this last date, thus rendered conspicuous as well as certain, whenever 

 the basin has been filled in warm weather, these reptiles invariably make 

 their appearance. This has occurred, however, only three times, viz., August 

 12th, 1834; again in the summer of a year whose date is forgotten; and on 

 June 1 6th, 1842. The forenoon of this day, last mentioned, was dark and 

 rainy, as the day and night previous had been. Their croaking attracted the 

 attention of an acquaintance of mine, and information of their appearance, 

 with a pair of the frogs, was forwarded to me by Mr. Amos Swinnerton." 



In 1884 both Dr. Charles C. Abbott in New Jersey and Col. Nicholas Pike 

 observed this species in congress. The former reports on voice as follows: 



'Tn a sink-hole in a dry upland field near Trenton, New Jersey, on April 

 10, 1884, there suddenly appeared a large colony of hermit spade-foot toads 

 (Scaphiopus holhrookii), which, by their remarkable cries, attracted the atten- 

 tion of every one passing by. So unlike the cries of any other of our batrach- 

 ians were their utterances, that all who heard them were attracted to the spot, 

 and wondered, when they saw the animals, that so great a volume of sound 

 could issue from so small an animal. One need not wonder, however, on this 

 point if he will but examine the development of the animal's vocal cords.The 

 machinery for producing sounds equal to an ordinary steam whistle are 

 apparently contained in the throat of this rare and curious batrachian. 

 Holbrook, in his diagnosis of the genus Scaphiopus, refers to the 'sub-gular 

 vocal sac' of the males; but it must be inferred that the famales are voiceless. 

 That they are not so noisy is probable, but occasion requiring, they can readily 

 make themselves heard. 



