240 Frogs of the Okefinokee Swamp 



several males from the low oak scrub about a small fresh water pool in the 

 pine barrens. All of our catch was placed in a large mouthed jar and brought 

 home to Rumson alive. The next morning a number of gelatinous egg-masses 

 were found in the bottom of the jar. Since they were pretty well smashed 

 up from the struggles which the Hylas made trying to escape, it was impossible 

 to distinguish whether the egg-masses were laid in a characteristic form. We 

 were both surprised to find these eggs, as we had not supposed that this Hyla 

 laid so late in the year; yet we had always wondered why such a large number 

 of individuals kept on singing so vigorously until at least the 20th of July." 



Davis and Chapin secured ovulation June 13 and 14, 1922. Noble and 

 Noble recorded ovulation May 20-21 and June 4-5, 1922. For the species, 

 ovulation records then obtain for May 20-21, 1922, June 4-5, 1922, June 13- 

 14, 1922 and July 8, 1915, or from May 20 to July 8. If a few tadpoles 

 transform in late June, as we observed in 1923 at Lakehurst, possibly breeding 

 may some years begin as early as May i. Doubtless with this species, as 

 with most frogs and certainly southeastern United States frogs, humidity 

 (rains) is the important external factor in onset of breeding. In this species, 

 as in all our southern frogs, it is a long season breeder or protracted breeder as 

 Noble has called it. But exposure and protracted breeding classifications are 

 local at the most, e.g., Sca'phiopus holbrookii and all Scaphiopi may be very 

 protracted and generally are. Rana pipiens may or may not be long extended 

 in breeding season. Most southern and southwestern forms have long breed- 

 ing seasons. 



Thus far the eggs laid in nature have been laid in sphagnaceous streams or 

 puddles near by. Once upon a time we were ready to call Rana virgatipes a 

 Sphagnum Frog on the basis of Lakehurst experience but it is not wholly so. 

 So, too, H. andersonii may be more widespread in its place of ovulation. One 

 wonders whether in Cheraw, Anderson and Southern Pines it is limited to 

 sphagnum. We did not casually record sphagnum at Cheraw but we did not 

 search for it. In a similar way we suspected they may reach higher than 6-8 

 feet in the trees when not ovulating. 



Egg-laying process. Noble and Noble (1923, pp. 433-439) gave detailed 

 attention to the interesting egg oviposition, making observations on two pairs 

 in the field and two in the laboratory. It is too explicit for me to paraphrase 

 and too extended to quote in toto. 



EGGS 



Noble and Noble (1923, p. 439, 440) distinguish the eggs thus: 

 "i. Single, not adhering to one another, usually scattered among the water 

 weed. 



2. Attached to sphagnum (rarely debris) or free and rest on bottom. 



3. Found on bottom of small, non-stagnant pools, or in slow-moving streams 

 of the pine barrens. 



Before cleavage the cap of the animal pole is usually dark brown, the 

 other two-thirds of the egg, creamy white. . . ." Hyla andersonii as they dis- 

 cover like many other North American frog's eggs change in pigmentation 



