FROGS. 35 



of the leopard frog is more or less true of the pickerel frog. A capital 

 place to secure transformed and half-grown pickerel frogs is along the 

 banks of the headwaters of our clear streams. (See fig. 2 and Pis. 

 XXI, fig. 3, and XXII, fig. 7.) 



The newly transformed green frogs vary in length from 1.1 to 1.5 

 inches, the average being 1.3 inches. Most of the transformations 

 occur in the latter part of June and throughout July. Usually, by 

 the fii-st of August transformation for this species is largely, but not 

 whollv, completed. In a species which lays from the last of May to 

 the middle of August, or later, it is evident that sonie transformations 

 may occur at any time within the same limits. Thisforra spends one 

 winter in the tadpole stage and is a year old before it changes to the 

 frog form. Of all the commercial forms, this has proved the hardest 

 to collect in numbers at the transformation stage. The long period 

 of transformation, the smallness of some of the ponds and of tlieir 

 green-frog tadpole content, and the sh\'ness of the species make it 

 more difficult to secure a quantity of young green frogs than a similar 

 number of y( )img bullfrogs. It does not seem at present a convenient 

 starting pomt in the culture of the green frog. (See fig. 2 and Pis. 

 XXI, fig. 2, and XXII, fig. 3.) 



The bullfrog tadpole spends two winters as a tadpole. Inasmuch 

 as the eggs are small and deposited late in the season (usually tlie last 

 of June or in July), the tadpoles are small when winter arrives. The 

 whole of the next season is consumed in growth, and it is not until 

 another winter is passed that the lai-vre begin to approach transfor- 

 mation, which usually comes in July — that is, two yeai-s after qj:^;^ 

 deposition. More rarely does the tadpole spend a third winter before 

 transformation. According to all of our data, transformation occurs 

 in July or later. An average of the first dates recorded places the 

 beginning of transformation at July 15, The species evidently does 

 not be<i;in transformation before July 1, and the period of transforma- 

 tion often extends to August 15. In one year, when first recorded 

 on July 30, tadpoles were found which would r(H(uire two weeks more 

 before transfonnation. In another year several wei-o found trans- 

 forming on August 20, and a few other tadpoles which apjieared as if 

 they might transform in October or November or during the next 

 season were found. The mature tadpoles begin to come out in the 

 shallow water in early summer. Hero they hide in the Chara, Nitella, 

 hornwort, water milfoil, etc., or they rest beneath the lily pads, pond 

 weeds, and other suj'fuce plants. Another favorite place of trans- 

 formation is among the pickerel weed, arrowhead, and water plantain, 

 wliich ad'ord an overhead cover. Occasionally, around ])onds where 

 shallows are absent, stumps of trees, fallen logs, and trec^s fringe the 

 edge, and their roots extend out into the water. These are favorite 

 transformation sites for the species. At this period tliey are present 

 in hundreds, or even thonsancls. The transformed individuals present 

 a spirited sight as one approaches. They are shy, and long before 

 one gets witliin range start skipping over the vegetation, giving the 

 alarm note so characteristic of tlie species when surprised. Equally 

 int(>resting is it when they occupy perches along the stumpy edges of 

 deep ponds. It seems as if a wave of little bullfrogs kee|)S going 

 before one as he skirts the pond. Inasmuch as this K|)ecies rcujuires 

 two ycuii-s to mature, it might naturally be exp(!cted that with vary- 

 ing conditions the tadpoles would be of diverse sizes at transforma- 



3628G°— 2i 19 



