338 Frogs of the Okefinokee Siin)np 



a log. The entrance a foot or more away because we had dug it back from 

 under the log. Suddenly something tumbled from under the log into the 

 hole before I realized what had happened. Francis found another at a hole 

 nearby. I found one and Miles saw three. One from i foot to i 1/2 feet from 

 the hole entrance proper. This one I caught. It is a female. Tried for one 

 or two more but did not succeed. They are not so strongly held by light as 

 are most Anura." 



Nine days later, July 11, 1922, we have: "At 7:15 p.m. we started for 

 gopher frog area near Chesser School. Found 7 or 8 at entrance to holes or a 

 foot or two out. At one hole Miles saw a Peromyscus gossypinus. At another 

 I saw a Sigmodon. We captured three frogs. I caught one by hand. Could 

 have taken 3 or 4 more. Miles took the net without the handle. Interposes 

 it between frog and pole. Frog like a woodchuck makes for the hole and 

 jumps into the net. Sometimes this works, sometimes it does not. At first 

 I espied a frog at the entrance and tried to steal upon it from opposite the 

 incline. It heard me. Wonder if I could catch them with baited hook and 

 line. One was obliging and allowed us to photograph it. First one this year. 

 It turned around twice during the process then hopped in." With effort we 

 €Ould have photographed others. In 192 1, August 9, Mr. Harper stalked 

 another just north of Macclenny near the St. Mary's River on an oak ridge. 

 In both instances a log rests over the entrance. This is a favorite cover for 

 both frogs and turtles. The turtles seem at times to prefer to dig their hole 

 under fallen logs and the frogs often apparently prefer such gopher turtle 

 burrows or burrows with saw palmettos near by. 



The gopher frog though often in colonies seldom in our experience lives 

 with another frog in the same burrow. This may be possible but not usual. 

 We never saw two in one burrow. R. F. Deckert (19 U, P- 3)> however, 

 writes that "Two or three frogs will inhabit the same turtle burrow," and more 

 recently (Feb. i, 1923) Thomas Hallinan (1923, pp. 19, 20) records several 

 instances of two in one burrow. His notes are definite, excellent and might 

 be given in toto. 



Several authors from captive specimens have noted the color changes 

 of this form. Shufeldt (p. 1 54) holds "Gopher frogs are very clever at hiding, 

 and when doing so they change color at will, assuming a whitish tinge or brown 

 or deep purple, to intense black," while Miss Dickerson writes (p. 195) "The 

 general color of these frogs varies considerably. It may be grey or brown, 

 somewhat yellow or purple in tone. The spots may vary in size and in num- 

 ber. In any individual frog, the color changes are striking and rapid. The 

 frog may change from nearly black to white, through shades of brown or 

 purplish grey." Possibly educated frogs may thus operate with speed and 

 some of our captives showed different color phases and adaptation to different 

 environments, but I question whether a gopher frog might in its normal rela- 

 tions vary suddenly from white to black. The general average of frogs is of 

 the grayish hue. I never saw as sudden changes in this species as in Hyhdae. 

 A captured frog away from its burrow and placed on the neighboring sand, 

 may squat for protection and match its background beautifully. If disturbed 



