FROGS. 11 



WESTERN SPECIES. a 



The western species are somewhat confusing. At present Camp 

 (1917) recognizes three species, while Cope (1SS9) held there were four.'' 

 The thi-ee species are Bana hoylii, the yellow-legged frog ; Rcitui pretiosa , 

 the western frog; and Rana aurora (both aurora and draytoni), the 

 so-called "western bullfrog.'' 



Yellow-Legged Feog.— The yellow-legged frog has the ear or 

 tympanic region not darker than the rest of the head, possesses no 

 red in its coloration, and has the fold along the upper lip colored like 

 the rest of the body. These creatures are 2 J to 3^ inches in length 

 and occur m California. They have been less used for food because of 

 their skin secretions. 



Westek?^ Frog.— In the western frog the hind leg, when brought 

 forward along the body, has the inner angle of the bent heel reachmg 

 to the eye or nostril, but never beyond. The back and top of the 

 head has prominent, inky-black spots. Tliis species attains a length 

 of 3 to 4 inches and extends from Nevada and northern California 

 throughout Oregon and Washington to Alberta and east into Uon- 

 tana, Wyoming, and Ltah. 



"Western Bit^lfrog."— The "western bullfrog" (PL II, fig. 2), 

 unlike the western frog (R. pretiosa), has no inky spots on the 

 back and top of the head, and the heel reaches to or beyond the 

 nostril These creatures may have their skin very smooth (aurora) 

 or roughened (draytoni), have the lateral folds of the back indistinct 

 (aurora) or promment (draytoni), possess unspotted or dotted backs 

 (q,urora) or have regularly placed, light, centered spots (draytoni), 

 be medium, 3 inches long (aurora), or large, 4 mches (draytoni). 

 rhe western bullfrog" extends from Puget Sound to Lower Cali- 

 lornia. 



These last two forms, the western frog and the "western bullfrog " 

 usually have the tympanic region darker than the rest of the head 

 red often present in the coloration, and the fold along the upper lip 

 usually white or lighter than the rest of the head. t-f f 



POSSIBLE MARKETABLE SPECIES (PL. iv). 



There are several species of true frogs which aie smaller, such as 

 the wood frog and its relative, the noi-thorn wood frog; the mink frog 

 (liana septentnonahs) of extreme nortlieastern United States and 

 Canada; the carpenter frog (R. virgatipes) of New Jersey and the 

 Uirolinas; or the lOcal and rare gopher frog (R. nsopus) of Florida. 

 It will, doubtless, never become feasible to use these species in frog 



The wood frog (P\I\^, fig. 3) is either light or reddish brown 

 above, with a darker brown streak or mask on either side of the head 

 Lnderneath it is a glistening white. The noiihern wood frog is like 

 Ivf.^fk ''^' u^^ \^'? length of the hind leg to the heel does not 

 exceed the combined length oi the hea d and body, while in the 



of"Jmoml'?''(U" ver;!i^^V Of rS^^ thcsystcmaUc status of Iho toads and fro^ 



Wi^^gtm%I!''' Batrachia of North America. U. S. National Museum Bulletin No. 34, 432-447 



