Rana sphenocephala 423 



of a dark olive green, blotched with clouds and ringlets of a dusky color; 

 these are remarkable jumpers and enterprising hunters, leaving their ponds to 

 a great distance in search of prey. They abound in rivers, swamps and 

 marshes in the southern region; in the evening and sultry summer days, 

 particularly in times of drought, are very noisy, and at some distance one 

 would be almost persuaded that there were assemblies of men in serious de- 

 bate. These have also a sucking or clucking noise, like that which is made 

 by sucking in the tongue under the roof of the mouth." 



FIRST APPEARANCE 



In 1910, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1921, 1922 we have records of it from April to 

 October, December and January. In the latter months Francis Harper heard 

 it croaking and in December (19 13) J. Chester Bradley found both adult 

 males and females abroad. The months we lack records of it is more because 

 of absence from the swamp than from hibernation by the species. Mr. Percy 

 Viosca, Jr., of New Orleans, La., once told me he believed it might breed 

 every month in the year in Louisiana unless it be one month. Quite the same 

 is possible in the Okefinokee Swamp. Deckert (1914, p. 5) at Jacksonville, 

 Fla., finds it "everywhere from February to November." Later Deckert 

 (192 1, p. 21) found it breeding in December at Lemon City, Fla. 



GENERAL HABITS 



Some of the residents of the swamp maintain its common name of "Spring 

 Frog" is from its ability to leap or syring. Others hold it likes spririgy places 

 but usually it is called "spring frog" from its time of breeding and croaking 

 in the spring months. It is agile and hard to capture in water or on land. 

 Barbour (1920, p. 56) remarks that "Rana sphenocephala, when alarmed 

 while resting on a bank of a stream or pond, usually turns about and escapes 

 inland with leaping bounds, evidently more afraid of enemies in the water 

 than on the land." 



On June i, 192 1, we remarked that Rana sphenocephala were hopping 

 around the island after breeding, also that they were becoming browner when 

 afield and as the season progressed. 



VOICE 



Of the croaking position we recorded on April 23, 192 1 that "Male Rana 

 sphenocephala lie on the surface when croaking or are amongst pickerel weed 

 stems." The rear of the body usually sprawled out (see illustrations) may be 

 at the surface or submerged. The head and upper back are usually emergent. 

 At times they may croak from the edge of a pond like R. pipiens or croak 

 beneath the surface or lie amongst drift wood. On May 16 we "heard several 

 males but they were hard to find and ceased croaking after we found them. 

 At 11:20 p. m. we heard Rana sphenocephala. Strange we did not hear them 

 when we were near the pond but distance had to sift out the calls. Over in 

 the north part and northeast edge of a pond were males calling amongst the 

 weeds. When a person approaches normally they duck or hop or swim away. 



