278 Frogs of the Okefinokee Swamp 



couple of yards and croaked for me on its bark slab-perch. Throat kept dis- 

 tended while its sides, or rather whole body, vibrate. Kek, kek about 20 times, 

 usually ending in krak, krak. Surely a cracked voice." Later in the evening 

 we visited this croaker but "it was gone and not on the bit of projecting bark. 

 Soon we understood. In two or three trees low down we heard Hylafemoralis. 

 Their notes are speeded up, more extended and continuous than when high 

 in the pines. One we found on the moss. The instant we' entered (another) 

 pond we heard a queer note and it was from the trunk of a bay tree right 

 near us. It proved to be a male Hyla femoralis. All around us they were 

 calling. One was in a bush 3 feet above ground. Another on moist ground at 

 edge of pond in amongst six foot sedges. When a male croaks it is the lower 

 throat which swells out, not the chin region as well. Brought back three 

 Hyla femoralis." 



On May 21 "After the rain we started for the turpentine still. In piney 

 woods heard and saw Hyla femoralis all afternoon but isolated calls. When a 

 warm shower came they leaped into chorus. Sounds like a peculiar Cicada 

 note in chorus, only once in a while is the frog-like character revealed when a 

 frog ends its call with the last two or three squeaks. This gives it away. The 

 chorus is one continuous stridulating din and goes down the piney woods like 

 a wave. Rain is not over. They are at it yet (5:30 p. m.)." 



During a congress when several species are breeding in the same pond the 

 machine gun calls of Hylafemoralis make it difficult to hear or time other calls. 

 Once when we were timing the intervals in Gastrophyne' s calls Hyla femoralis 

 calls would break in frequently. In 192 1 and 1922 we recorded several in- 

 stances where their calls drowned out the calls of Hyla gratiosa, Hyla squirella, 

 Bufo quercicus and Pseudacris ocularis. We tried the experiment of half 

 closing our ears to close out the Hyla femoralis calls. The other sounds came 

 out very distinctly in the attempt. The breeding evening congress call is the 

 diurnal Kek speeded up, as many as 6 or 7 coming in a second. We have 

 counted 60 or 70 or more calls in rapid succession without deflation. 



1921 



April 24. Heard Hylafemoralis in trees 7:30 p. m. Long Pond. 



April 25. Near Long Pond one or two calling. 



April 27. In the trees H. femoralis are calling in isolated cases but more than 

 heretofore. Day overcast. 67°. At 9:30 heard a few in trees. 

 Air 76°. 



April 28. About three heard. 



April 30. Tonight air cold. Temperatures range from 50-70°. Little hu- 

 midity, brisk. Over in Long Pond and elsewhere we hear no Hyla 

 femoralis. As yet we have not heard them at night. 



May 3. Tonight at 8:00 air 56°. The last few days have been so cool that 

 we have heard no Hylafemoralis. 



May 9. Occasionally during day (air up to 84° or higher) hear Hylafemoralis. 



May II. Temperature 7o°F. at 6:30 a. m. Feels Hke rain. Hear several 

 Hyla femoralis. 



May 12. Considerable rain. One Hyla femoralis heard. 



May 14. At 7:00 p. m. several Hyla femoralis calling. During day several 

 calling from pine trees. 



