234 Frogs of the Okefinokee Swamp 



"This Hyla differs conspicuously from Hyla versicolor and Hyla regilla, 

 in fact from most of its nearest relatives in North America, by the fact that 

 it has apparently but a limited power to change colour. The green may pale 

 or deepen, it may even take on a tinge of brown; the lavender tints of hand 

 and foot may be extremely light, or so dark that they become a deep purplish 

 brown. But when we compare this with the radical and rapid changes in 

 Hyla regilla and others, the limitation is very evident. As far as observed, 

 the pattern of dress is never obscured. 



"Hyla andersonii is an agile chmber, but ascends largely by clasping the 

 hands and feet around the support. The adhesive power of the disks is 

 relatively not great, and the under surface of the body does not seem to aid 

 them as much in climbing as it does many tree frogs. On a relatively smooth 

 vertical surface up which Hyla cinerea, versicolor, pickeringii, regilla, and 

 many others will climb rapidly and with confidence, Anderson's Hyla holds, 

 itself with great difficulty, even for the space of a few seconds." 



VOICE 



The records of capture and voice characterizations make up much of the 

 literature of this species. The call has been and is the clue to its whereabouts. 

 Like each of the Hylas its voice is specific and distinct. But voice characteriza- 

 tions whether by syllables, figures of speech (similes, metaphores), musical 

 notation, human imitations or other means are dubious evidence from which 

 to draw conclusions. For example, John E. Peters (1889, pp. 58, 59) "On 

 June I, 1888 (he) found a specimen of Hyla andersonii Baird in a wet place 

 on the border of a pine barren at May's Landing, N. J. It was quite lively 

 when caught, but it soon became sluggish in confinement. Its voice was 

 shrill and light, comparatively speaking; and it consisted of a repetition of 

 the smae note three or four times in regular succession, in a sort of 'peep, peep, 

 peep, peep,' as nearly as I can give it. The specimen was sent alive to Dr. 

 C. C. Abbott, of Trenton, N. J. who says in his 'Catalogue of the Vertebrate 

 Animals of New Jersey' (Geology of N. J., Cook 1868, p. 805) that it is 'a 

 Southern species, a single specimen of which was found in Camden County 

 in 1863' by Dr. J. Leidy. . . . The specimen is still alive (Jan. 1889), and may 

 be seen by applying to George Pine, Esq., Trenton, N. J." 



A year later the Dr. C. C. Abbott above (1890, p. 189) wrote as follows: 

 "The specimen of this beautiful batrachian referred to by Dr. Peters in the 

 January NaturaUst is still in excellent health (Feb. 1890), and occasionally 

 utters its characteristic cry, which should not be described by the word 

 'peep' for it suggests a similarity to the cry of the Pickering's Hyla, which 

 shrilly 'peeps'. The andersonii utters a single note, better described by the 

 syllable 'keck', which it usually repeats three or four times. It is not a frog- 

 like note at all, but much resembles the call of the Virginia rail (Rallus 

 virginianus). If the collector follows up any 'peeper' in the marshes, he will 

 not discover additional specimens of Hyla andersonii." 



Of the same individual H. W. Fowler (1908, p. iii) writes "Dr. Abbott 

 tells me that the example Peters sent him from May's Landing alive uttered 



