434 Frogs of the Okefinokee Swamp 



"Of the 46 specimens of Southern Leopard Frog, 10 had empty stomachs, 

 while the remaining 36 had 38% Elateridae, 16% IMyrmicidae, 11% larva, 

 4.5% each Lachnosterna and Coccinellidae, 1.8% each Saldidae, Belos- 

 tomidae, Scarabaeidae (Tumble Bugs and June Bugs), and Cucujidae, 2.7<>^ 

 each Formicidae and Dytiscidae and .g% each Lamiinae, Cicindellidae, 

 Membracidae and Crayfish." 



ENEMIES 



On May 6, 1921, I found a cypress pond dried up except for a small 

 center of water filled with fish and R. sphenocephala tadpoles. Here Great 

 Blue Heron and Florida Crackles were having a fine feast. On July 7, 192 1, 

 we heard subdued croaks of a frog and soon found that the southern water 

 snake (N. sipedon Jasciata) had a meadow frog which it swallowed in 7-10 

 minutes. We photographed a water snake with a meadow frog in its mouth. 



In 19 1 2 we found these results. A black snake (Coluber constrictor con- 

 stricto?') had swallowed one adult meadow frog. A pied water snake ( Matrix 

 taxispilota) had two meadow frogs in its stomach while two southern water 

 snakes (iV. s. jasciata) had each a meadow frog. One ribbon snake {Tham- 

 nophis sackenii) had swallowed two meadow frogs, and one snake of this 

 species had one meadow frog in its stomach. The true water moccasin also 

 preys on meadow frogs. 



AUTUMNAL DISAPPEARANCE 



(See First Appearance). Our records of autumnal disappearance mean 

 little for none of us have been in the swamp at the proper autumnal period 

 to record it. Strictly speaking there probably is activity the year through 

 as recorded under First Appearance. 



AFFINITIES 

 Cope first recognized the southern meadow frog as a subspecies of R. 

 virescens. Miss Dickerson 1906 (p. 188) by fine illustrations and descriptions 

 did more to bring out the characters than any other author. Of it she writes: 

 "The species is evidently a very distinct one, not intergrading with Rana 

 pipiens, but holding its own with the latter frog in the same localities in the 

 southern part of the United States." It is not questionable whether there is 

 such a mixing of ranges. This form seems a Lower Austral offshoot of Rana 

 pipiens extending from New Jersey to Texas and up the Mississippi to In- 

 diana. We have treated this form as if it were very distinct from Rana pipiens 

 but the whole Rana pipiens group is a complex one. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY 



1920 Barbour, T. Copeia, July 31, No. 84, p. 56. 



1925 Brimley, C. S. and W. B. Mabie. Copeia, February 15, 1925, No. 139, p. 15. 



1920 Boulenger, G. A. Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts Sciences, August, 1920, Vol. 55, No. 9, 



PP- 434. 436, 439- 



t, R. Copeia, l*ebruary 14, 1914 

 1921 . Copeia, March 15, 1921, No. 92, pp. 20, 21. 



1914 Deckert, R. Copeia, February 14, 1914, No. 3 and April 15, 1914, No. 5. 



1922 . Copeia, November 20, 1922, No. 112, p. 88. 



1906 Dickerson, M. C. The Frog Book, pp. 186-188. 

 1925 Force, Edith R. Copeia, April 30, 1925, p. 141. 



