466 Frogs of the Okefinokee Swamp 



genera, such as Bufo, do not have the eggs supported on the surface, but 

 are laid in strings formed of one row of eggs, wrapped in a gelatinous cord 

 which lies on the bottom of the pond in which oviposition occurs. Still other 

 forms have the eggs glued together in large masses and supported upon water 

 weeds; this is notably the case with some Urodeles, such as Amblystoma." 



Deckert (19 14, No. 9, p. i) describes them as follows: "The eggs are laid 

 in oblong jelly-like sheets or flat masses, about i 1/2 inch long and i inch 

 wide. The egg-masses contain about 100 to 150 eggs." 



In 192 1 we found them commonly. A few field notes from our journal 

 will reveal some of their characters: "May 21. Found eggs fastened to 

 vegetation beneath water some 1-2 inches, also saw some floating free and 

 some floating in a mass around a stick on the surface. They were black and 

 white. Thought them at first possibly Hjjla cinerea. Examination in the 

 camp reveals they have no inner envelope and they look like Rana clamitans. 

 Have the habit of free floating eggs. Last night and today it rained an inch 

 or two, so some eggs are immersed." 



"May 22. In ditches by negro quarters were Gastrophrijne eggs. Each 

 egg stands out distinctly. Ditch 2 feet wide and 1/2-1 1/2 feet deep. Black- 

 ish, trashy, oily water. Packets of eggs floating. Some masses i x i inch 

 in diameter; others 2x1 inches; others 2x2 inches. Some round masses, 

 others square. Each jelly envelope abuts that of the next in pentagonal or 

 hexagonal fashion. In proper light a mass of eggs makes a mosaic. Some 

 eggs along banks in weeds may be i foot 10 inches long and 3 or 4 inches 

 wide. One mass in middle of ditch was amongst chips and was 4x7 inches. 

 Few such in mid pond. Believe they lay large masses along edges or amongst 

 brush. Wind scatters them and carries them around on water's surface." 



"In a clean pond (20x3 feet) along its edges in amongst grass, one packet 

 of eggs, 100-125 floating. They are brown and yellowish. One mass 6 inches 

 long X 3 wide separated from another mass, round, 2I x 2I inches. These 

 three masses are floating films. More eggs in a mass than in a film of Hyla 

 versicolor. Insects get into the fresh masses amongst roots. 



"We went to Old Hog's Hole. The eggs there we thought R. dimatans 

 are Gastrophryne. Whole pond covered with little masses. These must float 

 away from main mass. Over in Newt Pond amongst weeds are fresh Gastro- 

 phryne eggs. . . . Each egg stands out like glass marbles but attached to 

 each other. Believe eggs are laid in 2-4 large masses or one in amongst 

 brush, grassy edges. Then wind drifts them away in small floats. Finest 

 appearing frog's eggs which float in water. Masses may be at times even 

 triangular, one 7x7x7 inches. ' 



"May 26. As with other floating egg films, more Gastrophryne eggs in Old 

 Hog's Hole Pond are revealed by air bubbles amongst the jelly. 



"May 28. New Hog's Hole Pond has many Gastrophryne eggs hatching. 

 Newt Pond has numerous masses of fresh and hatching Gastrophryne eggs 

 floating. In certain lights each egg looks like a circular oil spot on water. 

 52, 9, 48 are counts of eggs in three films. Sometimes in a shady place each 

 egg looks to be a milk-white circular ring with a clear hyaline center when 



