Gastrophryne carolinensis 469 



now become functional. Up to this time the Ught area on the yolk is prom- 

 inent, and enables one to watch the singular rotation of the larvae. The head 

 now begins to widen rapidly, and the light area on the belly become darker. 

 The tail-fold soon becomes very thin, and bordered all around by a delicate 

 edging of black pigment. The larvae cease to rotate on the fourth day, and 

 no longer take up their angular position at the surface of the water, and now 

 behave very much like the larvae of Rana. They are now very heavily 

 pigmented over the whole of the bodj'^ ; the light area over the space where the 

 yolk was formerly placed has disappeared, and the larvae are now black as 

 seen from above." 



Deckert's eggs found August 28, 191 1, but laid night of August 27, 191 1, 

 hatched on August 30. In 192 1 on May 24 I have the note. "Gastrophryne 

 eggs probably laid night of May 20-21, probably hatched night of May 

 23-24" or three days later. On the night of May 26-27, 192 1, when the 

 air was 72° a great chorus was on, and the following morning many places 

 had fresh eggs. On May 28 in several places some of these were hatching. 

 This makes i 1/2 days for hatching. 



MATURE TADPOLE 



Color description from life. General color black overlaid with very fine 

 light purpUsh gray or quaker drab or hair-brown dots. Transverse stripe 

 of belly divided in middle and is apricot yellow or buff yellow color. Along 

 either side of the belly a light buff stripe. Another such stripe on either side 

 of the gill region. Sometimes whole venter with small light buff or pale orange 

 yellow spot heaviest on belly and sides and hghtest on throat. The inter- 

 spaces are purpUsh gray, violet gray or plumbeous. 



Tail with light buff or white stripe along middle of muscular part of tail. 

 After the first one-half inch the stripe breaks up into spots, which finally 

 disappear caudally. Above and below this continuous stripe is clear black. 

 Above this black is Hght purphsh gray or quaker drab dots. Quaker drab 

 not in lower crest. Lower and upper crests on caudal half with muscular 

 part heavily blotched with black or rather fight purphsh gray or hair brown 

 giving the tail tip almost a black appearance. 



General appearance. Tadpole small, (26.4 mm.) flat, wide, elliptical, 

 snout sometimes somewhat truncate. Tail medium, obtuse or rounded, 

 sometimes with black tip. Dorsal or ventral crest not equal to to depth 

 of the musculature. The dorsal crest scarcely extends on to the body, reaching 

 a vertical somewhat ahead of developing hind legs. Spiracle medium, closely 

 associated with anus, just ahead of it, not very apparent until hind legs begin 

 to appear, when it becomes separated from the anus. Eye is on the lateral axis, 

 distinctly lateral in position. From one eye to snout and around to the other 

 eye the tadpole has a prominent canthus made by the flat ventral and dorsal 

 sides of the head. Anus median at the end of the edge of the ventral crest. 

 Muciferous crypts indistinct. 



