Rana sphenocephala 433 



local conditions of drying up, absence and plentitude of water or food respon- 

 sible, or are those eggs laid in January, February, or late fall less likely to 

 reach as large a transformation size as those laid in spring or vice versa? 



In 1920 when we wrote that the southern leopard frog transforms during 

 June and July at .75 to i inch in length, the average being seven-eighths of 

 an inch we were speaking only of our May 2 8- July 4 experience in the Oke- 

 finokee Swamp in 191 2. We then suspected it might be any month of the 

 year but dared not reach beyond our known facts. 



GROWTH 



In 1920 we gave as the presumptive evidence for R. pipiens growth 18-31 

 mm. at transformation, 31-44 mm. for the first year, 44-52 mm. for the 

 second year and 52 mm. for the third year. 



In 192 1 we secured of Rana sphenocephala on April 24, five examples 56, 

 57, 58, 60 and 73 mm., apparently two different growth years. From May 

 15-23, we secured examples as follows: 52, 58, 62, 64 mm.; 75, 81 mm. — two 

 groups. On July 5, we secured 67, 68, 70, 77 mm. specimens. Oh July 23 

 we took two examples of another growth group, 40, 44 mm. Of transformed 

 examples we had one, April i, 33 mm.; one May 4, 28 mm.; one, July 4, 26 

 mm. The 192 1 evidence reveals 26-33 mm. as transformation or just beyond 

 transformation; 40-44 mm. for ist year olds; possibly 52-64 mm. for 2nd 

 year olds, and 67-77 or 81 mm. for 3 year olds. In 1922 on July 4 and 5 we 

 took transformed frogs at 20, 20, 22 mm., and a female at 71 mm. In August 

 9-14, we secured one 22 mm. at transformation and a male at 56 mm. In 

 June (19th and 28th) we caught respectively a 53 mm. and 75 mm. specimen. 

 We, therefore, had a 20-22 mm. transformation group, 53-56 mm. group; 

 and a 71-75 group. In 19 12, from May 2 8th- July 15th, we secured trans- 

 formed frogs at 22, 30, 32 mm.; on May 28-29, two at 22 and 24 mm.; one 

 of 32 mm. June i; two 27 mm. and 30 mm. June 3; one 32 mm. June 6. 

 On June 12, we secured one of 27 mm., one of 37 mm., and one of 71 mm. 

 — three groups. On June 13-14 we secured one 50 mm. On June 24 we 

 secured four at 32, 33, 35, 37 mm., one of 49 mm., one 63 mm., — ^apparently 

 three growth groups. From July 15 to November 15 we received three 42 

 mm., 65 mm., 71 mm. in length. In 1913 a male captured December 26 

 measured 78 mm., and a female 76 mm. 



On the basis of 1912, 1921 and 1922 collections it would seem that trans- 

 formation came at 20-23 mm.; that one year olds are from 35-50 mm.; that 

 two year olds are 52-65 mm.; that three year olds are 67-78 or 81 mm. 



FOOD 



No thorough studies have been made or published on this form. R. 

 pipiens has been studied by Surface, Drake, Frost, Munz and Klugh. No 

 doubt the two species are quite similar though the range of the southern 

 meadow frog might cause its diet to be quite different. 



After the above was written we chanced on Force's (1925, p. 26) para- 

 graph which follows : 



