440 Frogs of the Okefinokee Swamp 



In the evening, during the night, and in the early morning, they were very 

 noisy, but during the day were more or less quiet, only an occasional croak 

 being heard at intervals, or as noted above." 



Our first record for Rana virgatipes came July 12, 192 1, near Chesser 

 Island. We had had to abandon our boat because of low water and wade to 

 shore. Near a head not far from the boat about 5 p. m. we began "to hear a 

 new Rana calling in the maiden cane — cluck-cluck-cluck-cluck; a rather loud, 

 incisive, distinctive, clucking croak." (F. Harper). The air temperatures 

 were at least 75°. On the following morning (air temperature about 78°; 

 cloudy day) the author with four of the Chesser boys "went for the rest of 

 the equipment at Bear House (af miles from Chesser Island). Heard no end 

 of Rana clamitans, R. grylio and one or two of the unknown {R. virgatipes'!). 

 Also over toward Hurst Island heard several (R. virgatipes'!)". The previous 

 afternoon we instinctively pronounced it R. virgatipes though we had never 

 heard it but had read previous characterizations of it. On the night of July 

 1 5 after a thunder shower we heard several in the wooded dreens or causeways 

 between Chesser Island and the mainland. Temperature about 70-73 degrees. 

 On July 19 we heard a few before dawn towards the open prairie and at night 

 we caught another in the wooded causeway. On Black Jack Island July 28, 

 1921, we had one of the hardest rains I ever experienced. In the morning of 

 July 29, 192 1, when the temperature was 73 degrees "I heard a Carpenter 

 Frog chorus. . . . Just outside the south bushy edge of Black Jack Island 

 (near camp) were the carpenter frogs. They were scattered in among the 

 small cypress where there was an undercarpet of Woodwardia and a little 

 sphagnum. They seemed to be around the base of the cypress trees and on 

 the cypress knees. I saw none of them. In the daytime they are shy. The 

 croak is 4-7 notes in rapid succession, all alike. Then the species has another 

 call of two notes and lower in pitch." Later "on the sphagnum strand many 

 roads out from Chesser Island we heard some carpenter frogs." The period 

 from July 12-19 was a very rainy week throughout southern Georgia and no 

 minima of nearby stations went below 69°, our lowest temperature being 73°. 

 On July 28 almost 3.80 inches of rain fell at Waycross and about 2.4 inches the 

 next day and the temperature ranges from 7o°-84°. 



In the Okefinokee swamp we heard them at different times of the day. 

 Summarized our 192 1 record reads somewhat as follows: 



June 19. Heard at night in wooded sloughs. 

 " 24. ,"I awoke at 3 a. m. and heard quite a few calUng towards the edge of 



the prairie." 

 July 2. Harper heard one on prairie at 8-8:30 a. m. 

 " 21. Calling generally in wooded sloughs. 



" 22. One heard in mid-afternoon (2:30 p. m.) in sloughs. Sunlight. 

 " 22. At night many croaking in slough at temperature 72° until midnight 



or later. Other frogs not active. 

 " 25. At night many croaking in slough. Temperature 7 2°-74°. Air humid. 



Croaking beyond midnight. Other frogs not active. 

 " 28. At 3-4 a. m. heard several. At 6:30 a. m. heard one. Air 72° cloudy. 



