Acris gryllus i6i 



Hindlimh. length 1.8-1.75-1.8-1.56-1.6 in hind hmb; tibia i. 63-1. 63- 

 1. 66-1. 7-1. 6 in length; tibia 2.8-2.7-2.95-2.8-2.6 in hind limb; tibia .77- 

 .92-.83-.64-.90 in fore limb; tibia i. 23-1. 4-1. 4-1. 3-1. 25 in hind foot with 

 tarsus; first toe i. 45-1. 2-1. 44-1. 33-1. 4 in second toe; first toe 2.05-1.74-2.0- 

 2.1-2.2 in third toe; first toe 3.1-2.6-2.6-2.7-2.72 in fourth toe; first toe 2.0- 

 1.74-2. 0-2. 1-2. 1 in fifth toe; second toe i. 4-1. 5-1. 4-1. 5-1. 55 in third toe; 

 second toe 2. 1-2. 2-1. 8-2. 0-1.65 in fourth toe; second toe i. 4-1. 5-1. 4-1. 5-1. 5 

 in fifth toe; third toe i. 5-1. 5-1. 3-1. 3-1. 24 in fourth toe; third toe .97-1.0- 

 1.0-1.0-.95 in fifth toe; fourth toe 1.00-.90-1.0-.9 i.o in hind foot; fourth 

 toe 1. 04-1. 08-1. i-i. 07-1. 28 in tibia; fourth toe .80-1.0-. 92-. 70-1. 15 in fore 

 limb; fifth toe i. 56-1. 5-1. 3-1. 3-1. 3 in fourth toe; internasal width 1.33- 

 1. 53-1. 6-1. 7-1. 7 in first toe; internasal width i. 9-1. 8-2. 4-2. 3-2. 5 in second 

 toe; internasal width 2.73-2.66-3.3-3.5-4.0 in third toe; internasal width 4.1- 

 4.0-4.33-4.6-4.6 in fourth toe; internasal width 2.66-2.66-3.3-3.5-3.7 in 

 fifth toe. 



HABITAT 



Several in their synonymies of this species refer to Wm. Bartram's Travels 

 (1791, p. 278). Bartram's note follows: "There are yet an extreme diminutive 

 species of frogs which inhabits the grassy verges of ponds in savannas : these 

 are called savanna crickets, are of a dark ash or dusky colour, and have a very 

 picked nose. At the times of very great rains in the autumn, when the 

 savannas are in a manner inundated, they are to be seen in incredible multi- 

 tudes clambering up the tall grass, weeds, etc. round the verges of the savannas 

 bordering on the higher ground, and by an inattentive person might be taken 

 for spiders or other insects. Their note is very feeble, not unlike the chatter- 

 ing of young birds, or crickets." This might apply equally to Pseudacris 

 pcidaris or Bartram's No. 5 frog, "a little grey speckled frog," be Acris as well. 



LeConte, its first describer, did not remark in 1825 on its habitat but in 

 1855 (pp. 426, 427) wrote of A. gryllus that it was "Found in immense numbers 

 in every piece of water in the Southern States, and was a few years ago com- 

 monly known by the name of Savannah Cricket." 



Harlan (1835, P- 105) says it "Inhabits the Southern and Middle States; 

 frequents the grass and verges of ponds." Holbrook (1842, Vol. IV, p. 132) 

 finds "it frequents the borders of stagnant pools, and is often found on the 

 leaves of aquatic plants, and rarely on the branches of such low shrubs as 

 overhang or dip in the water." DeKay (1842, Part III, p. 70) has it "fre- 

 quenting moist wooded places and border of ponds, and is often seen on 

 aquatic plants .... It is never found on trees, and cannot adhere to the 

 underside of smooth surfaces." 



Abbott (1882, p. 710) contraverts that statement about adherence to 

 under surface of objects. "In many instances they were found adhering to 

 the under sides of projecting stones, roots of trees, and even to larger oak 

 leaves. I find it stated by DeKay in Natural History of New York, that they 

 cannot retain their hold upon the under sides of projecting objects; that the 

 discs on their toes are not sufficiently large. This is an error; indeed, the speci- 

 mens I have in a bottle, can retain their hold when the bottle is turned over." 



