298 Frogs of the Okefinokee Swamp 



greatest variation in colour may be seen in an individual during the twenty- 

 four hours. It may be bright green with vivid spots, dark at their edges and 

 light in their centres. Gradually (within the space of ten minutes) the spots 

 become more and more obscure until the frog is plain green, very light in tone. 

 Again, within the half-hour the spots reappear, become more distinct, darken- 

 ing in their centres. The ground color becomes ashy in the middle of the back; 

 this colour darkens into a mulberry, which colour spreads, obscuring the 

 green. Meanwhile the spots continue to darken until the whole frog is rich 

 brown prominently marked with darker brown spots." 



"The throat-pouch of the male is very large and is bright yellow or vivid 

 green in colour. When the tree frog is taken suddenly into the hand, this sac 

 is likely to be inflated and the frog gives a harsh-sounding squawk. The voice 

 is usually harsh and low-pitched." 



"This Hyla is a curiously artificial-looking frog. If it did not move, we 

 might well think some one's fancy had moulded it out of wax. When it is 

 angry or startled, it fills the lungs, expanding the body until it is nearly as 

 broad as long. It has the slow tendencies of some of the other large tree frogs. 

 It shows a marked desire to cling to one's finger and will not leave, even when 

 the finger is constantly turned so that the tree frog is head down. It will each 

 time clumsily turn around to bring its head uppermost, tuck its toes well 

 under, and settle for a period of contentment and rest." 



We observed that the first male which we captured croaking in a corn field 

 June 5, 1927, would squawk. On June 7, 1927, we noted that "the male would 

 open his mouth once in a while after I captured him. He was in a glass can in 

 my pocket and several times he spoke thus. Later during the next day it 

 would thus do if taken by the legs and pressed ahead of hind legs. Thus held 

 while rubbed on belly or back it will swell up so that it looks perfectly round 

 from above. Often it has a curved appearance; it will bow its head down to 

 ground and back be arched. It can leap i-i 1/2 feet, possibly 2 feet in 

 awkward, cumbersome fashion. It has a decided secretion from the skin." 

 On July 16, 192 1, one of the Chesser boys noticed its odor. He pronounced 

 it bad and "tried three different times to get it off his hands." 



VOICE 



Deckert (1915, pp. 4, s) considers "It is not very plentiful anywhere, and 

 rarely met with outside the breeding season. During the latter time it comes 

 down out of the trees and small companies of from four to ten specimens, in 

 widely scattered pools or "bayous" attend to their breeding duties amid the 

 "loud calls of the males. The call can be heard for over a mile, and sounds 

 like a large gong, or church bell, being of unusual depth, and very clear, with a 

 second's interval between each dual note. The male while singing, floats on 

 the water, the large vocal sac throwing the frog into a vertical position with 

 every utterance." 



The first time we heard this species to know it as such was on June 5, 192 1. 

 After a period of heavy rainfall "We visited in the evening an oak-toad pool 



