MANUAL OF FISH-CULTURE. '253 



hunter's aim, and at the same time blinding or dazing the frogs. After 

 entering on their hibernation, many are dug out of the mud, large 

 numbers often being found together at this time. 



In the basin of the St. Francis Eiver, in Missouri and Arkansas, where 

 the business is important, frogs are caiDtured by means of spears, with 

 lines at the end of long rods, and with firearms. In the early part of 

 the season, when the frogs retire to the mud during the cool nights, and 

 orJy appear on warm, bright days, they are taken on hooks baited with 

 red cloth and by guns and rifles. Later the bulk of the catch is made 

 at night by means of spears with one to three barbed prongs. Two men 

 usually hunt together in a boat, one rowing, the other standing in the bow 

 with spear and a large reflector made esi^ecially for the purpose. The 

 season in this region is ijrincipally from March to June. Only the hind 

 legs are preserved ; a pair of these weighs about half a pound. 



The prices received for frogs varies greatly, and depends on the con- 

 dition of the market, the size of the frogs, and the locality. Dressed 

 legs yield the hunters from 12^ to oO cents a pound, and live frogs 

 from 5 cents to $4 a dozen. In the Kankakee Yalley, Indiana, for 

 example, the prices received by the hunters are 75 cents a dozen for 

 large frogs, 10 cents a dozen for medium-sized frogs, and 5 cents a 

 dozen for small frogs, while in San Francisco the market price is $3 to 

 $4 a dozen. 



The unrestricted hunting of frogs threatens their practical extinction 

 in all places where their abundance and shipping facilities or proximity 

 to market render the business profitable. Already a marked decrease 

 in the supply is manifest in Lake Erie, in northern New York, and 

 other places, and in order to meet the increasing demand hundreds of 

 people are experimenting or preparing to engage in frog-culture. 



The need of definite information as to the methods of procedure has 

 been generally felt and frequent inquiries concerning frog-culture are 

 received by the United States Fish Commission. While the practica- 

 bility of artificial propagation has not been demonstrated, it is evident 

 that the number of salable frogs from a given area may be largely 

 increased by artificial means. To undertake iutftlligeut work in this 

 line a knowledge of the natural history of the frog is essential. 



HABITS AND DEVELOPMENT OF FROGS. 



All frogs undergo a tadpole stage, though in some species this is so 

 rapid as to lead the casual observer to think it omitted. 



Upon the disappearance ot frosts at the close of winter the hibernating 

 Irogs return to active life, and as the waters become warmer in the si)ring 

 sun their notes are heard in suitable localities all over the country. 

 In some species the song is distinctly a chant d^amour; in others it is 

 continued long after the breeding season is over. During the breeding 

 season the social instinct prevails, and species of usually solitary habits 

 congregate in large numbers, thus becoming ready prey for the hunter. 



