I82 



VERTEBRATE ANIMALS OF THE UNITED STATES 



hind leg 250 mm.: America from the Atlantic to the Rockies, in ponds 

 and streams; the largest and most aquatic frog, apparently rarely 

 leaving the water; development of tadpole completed in the second or 

 third summer; often common. 



R. sylvatica LeC. Wood-frog (Fig. 95). Body small and slender, 

 with long hind legs, and brown or faun color, often with a yellowish or 

 reddish tone; a wide dark band on the ear passing forward to the eye, 

 and in some cases to the snout, and backward to the shoulder; legs 

 often barred ; dorso-lateral ridges Hght ; length 48 mm. ; hind leg 86 mm. : 

 America from the Atlantic to the Great Plains; southward to South 



Fig. 96. — Rana areolala {from Dickerson). 



Carohna; northward to Quebec; common in the east; rare in the west; 

 the least aquatic of the frogs, being found usually in damp woods. 



R. sphenocephala Cope. Southern leopard frog. Color green or 

 brown, with 2 irregular rows of green or brown spots; belly white; length 

 75 mm.: Georgia to Texas; common. 



R. areolata Baird & Girard (Fig. 96). Body brown or olive in color, 

 mottled or speckled with lighter and covered with rounded dark spots; 

 skin rough and warty; length 75 mm.; hind leg 150 mm.: southern 

 States from Georgia to Texas, and northward in the Valley of the 

 Mississippi into Ilhnois and Indiana. 



R. (Esopus Cope. Gopher frog. Body short and squat, with a very 

 large head; color gray or brown, with large black spots on the back and 

 side; length 62 mm.; hind leg 74 mm.: Florida; of ten hiding in holes in 

 the ground. 



R. cantabrigensis Baird. Body small and similar to R. sylvatica 

 in size and coloration, but with shorter legs; length 52 mm.; hind leg 



