3i8 Frogs of the Okefinokee Swamp 



These are about the maximum size. Of 92 specimens measured in the 

 U. S. National Museum there were only three of 30 mm., one of 31 mm., two 

 of 32 mm., one 33 mm., and one 35 mm. 



Of a group of 35 specimens collected at South Jacksonville, Florida by 

 Thomas HaUinan in 1922 for the American Museum of Natural History there 

 are of females (26) two 23 mm., two 24 mm., five 25 mm., one 26 mm., three 

 27 mm., three 28 mm., one 29 mm., one 30 mm., three 31 mm., three 32 mm., 

 one 33 mm., and one 36 mm.; of males (7), one 23 mm., two 24 mm., one 25 

 mm., one 28 mm., one 30 mm., and one 34 mm. ; and of doubtful but apparently 

 females one 19 mm., one 20 mm., three 21 mm., four 22mm., one 23 mm., 

 and one 25 mm. One lot of three specimens (Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. Nos. 

 14968, 14969, and 14970) collected by Jay A. Weber, 192 1, at Ocalawacochee 

 Slough, Lee Co., Florida, are respectively 20, 23, 24 mm., but we record that 

 "they look like females but are they or are they immature?" This American 

 Museum material shows males from 23-34 mm., females from 23-35 mm., 

 but, however, doubtful females from 19-25 mm. Sizes from 21-24 mm. do 

 not always reveal the sex externally. The extreme size of females found is 

 37 mm., and of males 36 mm. Han Geyer (1902 pp. 98, 99) reports that he 

 had one 45 mm. in length. 



The female has the hght throat and the males the more intense throat. 

 In twelve males taken at same time in spirits none had a dark pigment on 

 throat except one which was heavily spotted with dark. 



Duration. On July 3, 1922 "About 11:55 or midnight we were at Anna's 

 Pond. Heard the Hyla squirella at a distance between two distant houses. 

 In the saw palmettos and grass stools around the pond were many scrapers. 

 One pair found in grass near the edge. Other pairs: three were found in saw 

 palmettos near edge of pool as were the Hyla femoralis in pairs. The pair of 

 Hyla squirella we photographed hopped upon the road some 8 or 10 or more 

 feet from the pond. By 7 :oo a. m. the next morning all four males were not 

 mating. All four females had laid during the evening." 



Night or day. Most large choruses come at night though severe rain 

 storms might bring breeding in day time. The frogs prefer the security of 

 night to come down to the ground. 



Amplexation. — (Normal, abnormal). All the males of our mated pairs had 

 the axillary embrace. On August 11, 1922, at Camp Pinckney we make the 

 note "Once in a while a male chases another away or at times tries to mate 

 with it." 



OVULATION 



Habitat. We found them breeding in a roadside ditch, in an open saw- 

 palmetto-surrounded pond (once pine woods), in grassy pools in open land 

 and near a road. The tadpoles we found in some of the above places, and in 

 pools beside an old railroad embankment. 



Period. Pope (1919, p. 96) at Houston, Texas, on "April 24, 1918, found 

 them breeding abundantly in a shallow pool after a warm rain." "May 4. A 

 heavy warm rain this evening brought out Hyla squirella in force. This 

 seems to have been the regular breeding season and for some time after I 



