I02 Frogs of the Okefinokee Swamp 



hopping about, enjoying life on dry land, while those in confinement in water, 

 were still increasing in size, and yet in an embryo condition. This very short 

 natural period of the tadpole state admirably fits them for such breeding 

 places as the one in which the subjects of this paper were found; a locality 

 where water can remain for a short time only, and this is the most wet seasons." 



Sherwood (1898, p. 18) gives "the metamorphosis being complete in 

 about two to three weeks" or with his week of hatching 3-4 weeks from egg 

 laying. Ditmars (1905, p. 191) has it that "The metamorphosis is completed 

 within a few weeks from the time of hatching." 



Overton (1914, p. 30) records for one group (19 13) that eggs laid Apr. 13 

 or 23 transformed the middle of June or two months later. In 191 5 eggs 

 which were laid Aug. 4 and 5, he found as transformed frogs at least by Sept. 

 4 or about 30 days from egg laying or 27 days of tadpole life. 



Most of the records imply a very short larval period such as 30 days, 

 14-2 1 days, 2 1-28 days, 60 days, 30 days. Normally they need a month or less 

 before transformation. The eggs laid Aug. 16 and 17 were hatched August 

 17 and 18. Five days from egg laying these tadpoles were 14 mm. long, of 

 which the body was 7 mm. On August 26 we started northward in a Ford 

 and carried these tadpoles on the running board of the car. They neverthe- 

 less transformed Sept 2, or 17 days from egg deposition or strictly 15 days 

 of larval life. 



TRANSFORMATION 



Period. Nichols found them transforming in mid July. Apparently 

 Abbott's tadpoles under observation transformed in about 21-23 days or 

 July 23-25. Pike had them transformed in August. Overton records some in 

 September. In 1920 (p. 36) we held they transformed from June to August. 



In 1922 we found in one place June 22 tadpoles, most of which were 

 mature, quite a few with two legs and one with four legs. On July 24, one 

 month later, there were none left in this pond. Transformation came from 

 June 2 2- July 24. Some eggs which were laid at Hilliard, Florida, August 

 16 and 17, 1922, transformed on the running board of the Ford Sept. 2. 

 The earliest transformation material we possess are some which Dr. Frank 

 Overton gave us in 191 5 bearing the data Aug.-Sept. 22, 1915, from Patchogue, 

 L. I. In view of the short larval period some trasnformations must begin 

 as early as mid April and some appear as late as October. 



Size. In 1920 (p. 36) we give the "ranges of size from 0.3 to 0.5 of an inch 

 at the time of transformation (see Fig. 2 and PI. XXII, Fig. 11)." In the 

 figure 2 the transformation size is given as about 0.4 of an inch and the adult 

 as 2.7 inches. In the plate it is apparent the transformation spade-foot and 

 the common toad are the two smallest of the 16 species figured. 



A series of 13 transformed spadefoots given to the writer by Dr. Frank 

 Overton, Patchogue, Long Island, and collected Sept. 22, 1915, rgfnge from 

 8.5-1 1 mm., mode 10 mm., average 10 mm. A transformed individual taken 

 June 22, 1922, at Camp Pinckney, Ga., measures 10 mm. A series of 17 

 taken at the same place June 27 give a range of 8.5-12 mm., an average of 

 10 mm., a mode of 11 mm. 



