Pseudacris ocularis 



223 



body in life with definite scattered black spots ; musculature with three bands, 

 apricot buff (light), chestnut brown (dark) martius yellow (light); first and 

 second lower labial rows 2.0 greater than the horny beak; horny beak in upper 

 fringe, 2.0; median space between second upper labial row of upper labial 

 teeth 3-4 in either lateral portion. Eggs single." 



LARVAL PERIOD 

 We never raised this species from egg to transformation. Too many in- 

 vestigations were going at once to get them past the adult tadpole stage and 

 such laboratory tadpoles reared for identification could give us little real idea 

 of the larval period. The earliest we know the species to have bred is April 24; 

 the earliest we have taken tadpoles transforming is June 30. I believe the 

 difference between those two dates or 67 days is an average period for the 

 species. The first stray choruses, or mating we have observed came in the 

 latter half of May and the bulk of our transformation records is the first of 

 July. This presumptive evidence would give about 45 to 60 days for larval 

 period. Forty-five to seventy days may represent the larval period. More 

 evidence is needed. 



TRANSFORMATION 



Period. On June 30, 1922, in Saddle-bag Pond (near Chesser Island School 

 U. S. Geol. Moniac Quad.) "found these tadpoles transforming in Wood- 

 wardias (ferns) around the edge of this cypress pond. Also in open pond, 

 slightly so. Transformed ones have median stripe most conspicuous, the 

 stripe of the tail continues on the body as a stripe either side of the median 

 stripe and the stripe through the eye least conspicuous. The ground color of 

 the adults is more or less prominent in the dorsal of the tadpoles. There is 

 a prominent black band on the muscular part of tail. Very strongly defined 

 black band, this is with light band below and a less conspicuous one above 

 for 3/16-1/8 of an inch. This last extends on to the body." From this same 

 pond tadpoles taken July 6 transformed July 8. 



On July 18, 1922, "around the west edge of Murray Bay in the more or 

 less flooded area (at times not now) of gums and pines found many transformed 

 Pseudacris ocularis. They were difficult to catch because of minute size, 

 fear of crushing them and their marvellous abihty to jump. In grassy edges 

 these transformed frogs and adults are also present." 



On August 18, 1922, "at HiUiard, Florida, beside the Dixie Highway found 

 Httle Pseudactis ocularis which is cinnamon or ochraceous tawny in color." 



Size. On July 2, 1922, we took six transforming and transformed frogs 

 of the following lengths and characters: Two, 9 mm. transformed; one, 9 mm. 

 and only 2 mm. stub; one 11 mm. and 2.5 mm. stub; one, 9 mm. plus 1.05 

 mm. tail, frog-like appearance; one 9 mm. plus 1.25 mm. tail, tadpole ap- 

 pearance, — 9-1 1 mm. in transformation size. Twenty to twenty-five tad- 

 poles taken at the same place and many with prominent hind legs have body 

 10 mm. I beheve the 11 mm. transforming specimen abnormally large for 

 this species. 



