458 ^ Frogs of the Okefinokee Swamp 



toads. Several were found at Lemon City under pieces of limestone in a 

 wagon track leading to a rock-pit, and one under a stump in a rock-pit at 

 Little River, in November." 



In 19 1 2 we made a few notes on its habitat. They are: It frequents the 

 small ponds around the wooded edge of the islands where some shade is 

 afforded. One performer we took on some fallen saw-palmetto bushes a few 

 inches above a heavily shaded shallow pool which was 3 feet in diameter. 

 This pool was near our camp well. Another specimen was taken under dead 

 leaves. The species is not common but quite widespread. During our stay 

 we took three specimens: one on Honey Island, June i ; one on Billy's Island, 

 June 6; and another, same island, June 12. After July 15, 19 12 we received 

 two specimens one taken between July 15-Nov. 15, 19 12, and another between 

 Dec. 23, 1913-Aug. I, 1914. All in all, this species seems decidedly nocturnal, 

 a lover of rain, cover and moist situations. 



(For 1 92 1 and 1922 records see Voice, Ovulation, etc.). 



FIRST APPEARANCE 



In 1 92 1 immediately after we entered the swamp on April 24 "one lad 

 found one under a decaying log." In Texas we found the related species 

 G. texense breeding as early as March 25. One can dig Gastrophryne texense 

 out of logs in Texas in February and doubtless the same can be done in the 

 southeast for G. carolinense. At Biloxi, Miss., G. S. Miller Jr. (U. S. N. M. 

 No. 5 1 120) secured the species in the middle of February. 



GENERAL HABITS 



Metachrosis: Le Conte (1855, p. 430) says it is capable of "Varying at 

 will very much in color, from dusky to brown, olive-cinerous or yellow cin- 

 erous, more or less varied, spotted or speckled with black, beneath pale brown- 

 ish white, punctate so as to appear spotted." 



Variations in color: Holbrook (1862, pp. 23, 24) gives its general color 

 as chestnut brown above. Hallo well (1856, p. 252) has it olive. Gunther 

 (1858, p. 52) has one "rose-coloured." Dumeril et Bibron (1842, p. 743) 

 gives "brun olivatre ou marron." Boulenger has it (1882, p. 182) "brown." 

 Cope (1889, p. 386) considers it "chestnut." 



H. Garman (1892, p. 332) discusses coloration and its variation at length: 



"Color above olive-brown or gray, marked and spotted with dusky; 

 below pale yellowish, closely marbled with purplish, but more yellowish 

 posteriorly on the abdomen and under side of the femora. Two wide, poorly 

 defined pale bands begin at the fold of the skin behind the eyes and pass 

 backward and slightly downward to the insertion of the femora; they are 

 bordered above by a sinuous band of interrupted elongate dark spots, and 

 below by a wider continuous dark band, which in front passes immediately 

 over the fore legs, through the eye and around the snout, where it unites 

 with its fellow of the opposite side. Two dark bands cross the tibia. 

 The throat of adult males is bluish black. The colors vary with age and, to 



