Acris gryllus 163 



examples were frequent on the water-leaves along the water-trails we followed. 

 In the deep cypress forests between Billy's Lake and Minne Lake we noted 

 them and all over the islands they were very common. Some of our best 

 collecting courses were the cow and hog trails through the low shrubbery. 

 Also in the various swampy cross- ways or trails from one island to another 

 they occurred in the shallow water with the killifishes. Along the swampy 

 tree and bush borders of Billy Island and in the wooded edges of Lee's clearing 

 they foraged. In fact, they were as widespread as any Anuran of the swamp 

 and seemed not to be wholly restricted to land or water. In the main they are 

 shade lovers except in the open prairies, but here they can rest underneath the 

 overlapping water-leaves." 



In 192 1 our first observation on habitat is April 23. "In the cleaner end 

 of a cypress pond on the dead black leaves amongst Polygonum, Hydrocotyle, 

 Pontederia, lots of Ac7'is.'^ Two days later we found Acris common and call- 

 ing at 10:00 a.m. in a cypress pond (C.A.G. pond. Hyla cinerea, Acris 

 gryllus, Rana grylio common) . "Took Lucania oryimata in the pond. There are 

 bonnets (lilies) in the middle, some floating heart, plenty of pickerel weed, 

 lizard's tail in bloom, water pennywort in bloom, a few southern tickseed in 

 bloom (Bidens); red bamboo, buttonbush, Virginia willow, etc., around the 

 edge." 



In 192 1 we found them in meadows and around ponds in North Carohna, 

 in the open vegetation mats or wooded edges of cypress ponds, in moist pine 

 barrens, occasionally in dry pine barrens, on water prairies, along open lake 

 edges, on sphagnum strand — in fact, in almost every type of plant habitat 

 which has any moisture at all. 



FIRST APPEARANCE 



This topic means very little with this species as the subsequent citations 

 will show. Whether it be in its southern range or its extreme northern limits 

 it is very early in the spring or at times appears in warm periods throughout 

 the winter. Professor T. H. Morgan at Baltimore in 1891 (p. 754) reports 

 Acris gryllus as the first frog to appear in the spring. O. P. Hay (1892, p. 

 462) says "this little chatterer appears very early in the spring." In Vigo 

 County, Indiana, W. S. Blatchley (1891-1892, p. 27) finds that they "are 

 active in certain localities even in midwinter, lively specimens having been 

 taken on December 23, January 9 and February 16." In Houston, Texas, 

 Pope (19 19, p. 97) finds them active Feb. 8, 1918-Feb. 10. "This little frog 

 was the first to appear in the spring and was abundant along the bayous all 

 summer,. . ." In Doniphon County, Kansas, Jean M. Linsdale, makes these 

 interesting observations: "On Feb. 2, 1924, several were found in the creek 

 above the bridge. They were in the water above some old ice and below a top 

 layer of new ice. All the frogs were stiff and floating and apparently they were 

 dead. In the warm water of the springs and just below springs a few frogs of 

 this species were found throughout the winter." 



