70 



pale below. This species may be distinguished from R. catesbiana by the 

 presence of the two dorsal folds. The length of head and body may be 

 greater than three inches. 



Distributed over the Eastern United States at least to the plains. 

 Found all over Indiana in abundance. 



This frog is thoroughly aquatic and lives along streams, in pools and 

 in cold springs. It probably never leaves the water to travel any con- 

 siderable distance. It is rather solitary, never collecting in such 

 numbers as do the individuals of R. pijnens. They are timid, and when 

 surprised by the stroller they leap, with a cry, into the water. Its voice 

 may be represented by the syllable "chung." DeKay states that its 

 note is more sonorous and in a lower key than that of the Bull-frog. The 

 tadpoles of this species require two years for their development. Before 

 the tail has been absorbed this species may be distinguished from larvse 

 of the Bull-frog by the presence of the dorsal glandular folds. When the 

 fore limbs have appeared, the total length of the tadpole is about two 

 and a half inches. The larvse are stated to live on soft vegetable sub- 

 gtances and never to be carnivorous. 



B,ana catesbiana, Shaw. 

 Bull-frog. 



Rana catesbiana, Shaw, 1802, 71, iii, 106, pi. 27 ; Boulenger, 1882, 27^ 

 36; Cope, 1889, 51, 424, with figures; Rana jyipieyis, Harlan, 1825, 4-7, 

 62; Holbrook, 1842, 54, iv, 7'^, pi. 18 (not of Gmelin). 



Attaining the largest size of any of our frogs, the body becoming in 

 some cases 8 inches long, and the length of head, body and legs 18 

 inches. Head contained in the length 3 times or less ; usually somewhat 

 broader than long ; sides of head sloping outward ; snout rounded. 

 Vomerine teeth projecting little behind the choanse. Tympanic disk the 

 size of the eye or even larger. Skin of the back smooth or minutely 

 rough. Heel reaching to the front of the eye. Fourth finger slightly 

 longer than the first. Third toe longer than the fifth. Toes webbed to 

 the tips. There are no dorso-lateral glandular folds. A glandular fold 

 begins at the upper eyelid, runs over and behind the tympanic disk, and 

 in front of the arm, ending on the breast. Between it and the tympanic 

 disk is a sharp groove. 



The color of the upper surfaces in alcohol varies from reddish to olive 

 and brown. In life the color may be pale yellow, green, brownish, or 

 even deep brown. Below, the general color is white or yellowish. On 

 the upper surface spots of brown may occasionally be almost entirely 

 missing, but generally there are blotches of brown varying in size and 

 number, sometimes running together. Their outlines are not well 



