412 Frogs of the Okejinokee Swamp 



1.37. Spiracle i. 25-1. 6 nearer eye (6.5-12.5 mm.) than base of hind legs or 

 vent, average 1.45. Eye 1.-1.4 nearer tip of snout (8-1 1 mm.) than spiracle 

 (8.0-12.5 mm.), average 1.14. Nostril 1.0-1.6 nearer eye (4.0-5.5 mm.) 

 than snout (4.0-6.5 mm.), average 1.16. Mouth (4.5-6.5 mm.), usually 

 1. 0-1.3 larger than internasal space (4.0-6.0 mm.), average i.ii. Mouth 

 contained in interorbital distance (6.5-9 mm.) i. 3-1. 75 times, average 1.55. 

 Internasal space contained in interorbital space 1.4-1.9, average 1.7. 

 The dimensions of the largest tadpole are: 



LARVAL PERIOD 



Garnier in his point number 4 held that the tadpoles of R. catesbeiana, 

 R. clamitans and R. septentrionalis require two years to mature. In another 

 place he wrote: "Frog now spawned (July or August) cannot be completed 

 this season, as there are plenty of tadpoles in October and November of 

 R. catesbeiana, septentrionalis and clamitans. They are seen, all of them, 

 without limbs in spring, and at the present moment they are all three being 

 perfected and assuming the imago, or perfected form. Thus, it requires two 

 years to perfect this little frog." 



Inasmuch as R. clamitans may transform from 365-400 days from egg 

 deposition doubtless Garnier is in error in believing two years necessary for 

 transformation in R. septentrionalis whose tadpoles transform at 29-38 mm. 

 or average 33 mm. R. clamitans transforms at a similar size 28-38 mm., 

 average 32 mm., while R. catesbeiana transforms 43-59 mm. or 53 mm. aver- 

 age, the latter size, practically a one year old R. septentrionalis beyond trans- 

 formation. If some of the R. septentrionalis at 41-44 mm. with stumps are 

 not tardy in losing their tails after transformation possibly R. septentrionalis 

 occupies an intermediate position between R. clamitans and R. catesbeiana. 

 I prefer to believe one year or slightly more the larval period, yet two years in 

 some cases may be required. 



TRANSFORMATION 



This may come from June to August or September. Garnier (p. 951) "On 

 the 24th ult. (June, 1883) obtained several tadpoles, one a nearly perfect frog 

 with only a small fragment of a tail to be absorbed; several had both legs and 

 arms and others the hind legs with the arms quite ready to make their appear- 

 ance and the skin confining them at the shoulders, transparent." On July 

 i6th (Copeia, 1915, p. 45) Wright captured at Dorset, Ontario, "one or two 

 frogs with the stump of the tail remaining. These were about 38 mm. {i}/2 



