Rana grylio 369 



frequents the freshwater marshes, and is especially abundant in the many 

 lakes and lagoons of these regions. The individuals are very shy, and are 

 seldom seen by daylight, as they hide among the aquatic vegetation of the 

 lakes, and when closely approached quietly take to the water and hide in the 

 mud — not diving with the splashing retreat of the common bullfrog. They 

 are entirely aquatic and are rarely caught on the land." 



In 191 2 the following notes on their habits and habitat were made: "One 

 will never forget his first capture of the 'Swamp bullfrog'. The prominent 

 black or brown and yellow reticulations of the under parts are very conspicu- 

 ous. Sometimes we succeeded in kiUing them with an oar or pole while 

 pushing through the bonnets and occasionally the members of the party 

 captured them when visiting set trap lanterns for insects." 



On April 25, 192 1, "we went with flashlight after Rana grylio. On the 

 vegetative carpet and lily pads were untold numbers of Acris, on the lily 

 pads and on the bushes Hyla cinerea, and amongst the pickerel weeds different 

 sizes of Rana grylio. In all, three of us secured only 6 adults and one trans- 

 formed specimen. Later I found that they could be picked up rather easily 

 with a flashlight. On May 6, Dave Lee went out on Billy's Lake at night 

 with a torch to catch small fish for bait. With a small dip net he would scoop 

 in front of a Rana grylio and usually catch them." 



On May 10, 192 1, we found one cypress pond with plenty of all stages of 

 Rana grylio. Our comment is that they are "easy of capture at night except 

 for adults and these even can be taken." On May 11 we found plenty of R. 

 grylios at night along the edges of Billy's Lake. "They usually were at the 

 edge near the bushes or under them or amongst brush or in maiden cane. 

 Usually when one tried to photo them they were too much surrounded with 

 vegetation or sticks. We could approach closely but in clearing away brush 

 for the flashlight photo we would scare them. Often we would hear them go 

 skipping along across the lake or along the edges like a Rana catesbeiana." 

 As with most shy frogs they can be captured if females are around. In some 

 cases the females led the way to where a male might be. Where we succeeded 

 in flashlight ing a croaking male we were quite certain females were near 

 because of eggs found there soon afterwards. On June 20 we found another 

 method of capture. We never dreamed it would work for Rana grylio. We 

 would pull in hurriedly, masses of floating maiden cane and in the corner at 

 the bottom of the boat all kinds of life would drop. On this night we caught 

 2 Rana grylios, one a fine ripe female. All in all our main reliance was to 

 wade about at night on the prairies or in open cypress and to catch them by 

 hand. One must, however, keep his bearings. 



Anent this species it might be interesting to include some comments of 

 Percy Viosca, Jr., in a letter to Dr. H. F. Moore, U. S. Bureau of Fisheries. 

 On July II, 1923, he writes: "It might also interest you to know that Rana 

 grylio is abundant in this State, but we have found it is a thoroughly aquatic 

 species and not very hardy in captivity, and would not be suitable for frog 

 culture even though it is a fine flavored species and we believe much superior 

 to flesh of the catesbeiana. It would be only suitable for planting in shallow 



