qS Frogs of the Okefinokee Swamp 



HATCHING PERIOD 



Andrew Nichols (1852, p. 115) writes: "In five days after I found the 

 spawn had become tadpoles, . . ." C. C. Abbott (1884, p. 1076) says: 

 "During this interval (June 26-28) these animals spawned, the eggs being 

 attached to blades of grass and slender twigs. The eggs hatched on the 2nd of 

 July. . . ." This makes 4 to 6 days for hatching. Sherwood (1896, p. 18) 

 gives the hatching period as "about a week." 



On Aug. 4 and 5, 19 15 Dr. Overton (191 5, p. 53) records "a great con- 

 gress — enormous numbers of eggs of the spadefoot and Fowler's toads were 

 readily identified in the pools. On the 7th, the eggs were hatched" or 2 or 

 3 days after eggs were laid. 



In this southern clime development is apparently even more rapid than in 

 the north. On Aug. 18, 1928, we have the field note that two lots "are hatched 

 early morning of August 18. In fact, some in pond were almost hatched 

 August 17 at noon or 1-1/4 days after laying. Certainly i 1/2-2 days after 

 egg deposition these have hatched. Water must have been 75° or 80° when 

 rain came and more when the sun came out. This hatched tadpole is from 

 dorsum very broad in head, has large gills, has body very narrow as compared 

 to head. The tail is dorso-ventrally very broad. The creature is mainly head 

 and tail and odd in appearance. 



MATURE TADPOLE 



Color description from life. (June 23, 27, 1922). General color bronzy. 

 Upper parts brownish drab, benzo brown, vinaceous drab. Upper parts with 

 many close set spots of apricot orange or vinaceous tawny which on the top of 

 upper tail crest become merged into a conspicuous bittersweet orange ridge 

 of color. Throat and gill region with little of the orange vinaceous spots of 

 upper parts. Gills can be seen through the skin. Spots on belly clear yellow 

 green in places. 



Tail. Muscular part brownish drab, benzo brown, vinaceous drab. Crests 

 translucent. Upper crest with thin edge of dots and interlacing fines. This 

 arrangement goes around the tip. Rest of under crest translucent — no edging. 

 On the caudal half of lower edge of the muscular part the muscle segments 

 are more or less outlined by the fight color making emarginations between 

 the black dots. The same arrangement for the dorsal third of the muscular 

 part of the tail. 



Iris and eye black, small; eye close together. 



General appearance. Tadpole small (28.0 mm.) broad and large bodied 

 but not deep. Body has from dorsal aspect a LmM^MS-like appearance. Tail 

 short, tip blunt, rounded. Body unlike Bufo, broader nearer eye than vent. 

 Dorsal crest extends on to the body to a vertical just ahead of the developing 

 hind legs, is perceptibly nearer hind legs than spiracle. Spiracle sinistral, 

 far below lateral axis, as much or more ventral than lateral, opening more rec- 

 tangular or sfitlike than in our tadpoles in general. Spiracle about on the 

 level of the mouth. Eye on the lateral axis, very dorsal in position. The 



