Hyla fe moralis 287 



A count of the eggs in the right ovary of the largest ripe female (37.5 mm. 

 long) gives 273 eggs or approximately 500 or 550 for the complete complement. 

 This equals or exceeds the number to be found in the average female Carolina 

 tree frog. The latter may exceed the pine woods tree frog by an inch in 

 length but the extreme slenderness in the loins, even in gravid females does 

 not admit of a large egg complement as in the short stocky Hylafemoralis the 

 ripe females of which are discernible at once. The ovarian eggs of these two 

 species are practically the same in diameter and we thus have a relatively 

 larger complement in Hyla femoralis. Actually the ovarian eggs of Hyla 

 cinerea are slightly larger but this does not vitiate the result. The measure- 

 ments of ovarian eggs of the two species gives .8-1.2 mm. for those of Hyla 

 femoralis and 1.1-1.5 mm. for those of Hyla cinerea. In proportions, appear- 

 ance and habits this species is a miniature Hyla versicolor and no doubt its 

 breeding habits are very similar." 



In 192 1 our field notes on eggs are: ''Eggs laid in captivity May 21, 192 1 

 have vitellus .8-.9 mm., inner envelope 1.4-1.6 mm.; outer envelope loose, not 

 distinct from 4-6 mm., sometimes as much as 8 mm. Most of eggs without 

 circular outer envelope distinct because connected with the mass. Small 

 edition of Hyla versicolor. Egg cream or yellowish on vegetative pole, 

 brownish on animal pole." 



On June 4, 192 1, in comparing Hyla femoralis and Hyla cinerea ^^ Hyla 

 femoralis eggs are smaller, vitellus .8-9 mm., inner envelope 1.4-1.6, outer 

 envelope indeterminate. Vegetative pole quite yellowish or cream, more 

 yellowish than in Hyla cinerea. ^^ 



Laboratory examinations of 58 eggs reveal 18 with vitellus .8 mm., 7 with 

 vitellus .9 mm., 31, i.o mm. and 2, 1.2 mm., average .95 mm., mode i.o mm. 

 The inner envelopes ranged from i .4-2.0 mm. The outer envelope was seldom 

 visible, occasionally distinct, 4, 5 or 7 mm. in diameter. 



On June 29, 1922, the count of the left ovary of a gravid female showed 

 384 eggs to be laid, a possible complement of 768 eggs. On the following day 

 another female's left ovary was counted. It gave 382 or a possible 766 in all. 

 The complement reaches from 500-768 eggs. 



Dangers. This species lays in any pine barrens pool. Many a shallow 

 grassy pool will have packets of their eggs. Many are caught by hatching; 

 certainly many of the tadpoles never mature. There must be a great loss in 

 this species. On July 3, 192 1 , they were laying in the flooded furrows of cane> 

 corn and sweet potato fields. These were all lost. On June 4, 192 1, we made 

 the notes "Tonight the frogs of several species {Hyla femoralis included) are 

 laying in all sorts of transient places." 



In 1922 the species bred in great numbers in a crossway on the night of 

 July II. On July 13 the cross-way was practically dry. "All the Hyla 

 femoralis eggs found July 11 were now gone if they ever hatched." On July 

 27 in one pond we found "all over the pond spoiled eggs of Hyla femoralis 

 caught no doubt by a decided change of level." 



