Hurter — Herpetology of Missouri. \\1 



environments. As we approached we saw a frog slide 

 back into his hole, which was not as deep as some of the 

 others. We dug for him and as I neared him he retreated, 

 and finally we heard him splash in the water. He was now 

 beyond reach, but by a little strategy I secured him. I 

 moved my closed fist backward and forward in the hole 

 like the plunger of a pump. After a few strokes the frog 

 could not withstand the suction and I felt him bumping at 

 my hand. I then secured him without difficulty. So far 

 I have only caught one away from his home, just about 

 daybreak, while he was hopping in the grass. This frog is 

 probably an early riser, preferring dawn to full day- 

 light. The frog is well known to the farmers of this 

 neighborhood, many of them being killed when the grass 

 is mowed. 



Dates of capture. — June 6; July 19, 26. 



30. Rana palustris LeConte. Spring Frog. Swamp 

 Frog. Pickerel Frog. 



Description. — Head short, rather obtuse. Margin of lower lip slightly 

 notched on each side of symphysis, leaving a projection in the middle. 

 Tongue with two posterior lobes; free for half its length posteriorly, 

 and also on the sides. Eyes large, prominent. Tympanum circular, 

 about two-thirds the diameter of the eye. Nostrils about midway be- 

 tween the eye and the tip of the snout. The vomerine teeth are in two 

 transverse patches between the choanae. A glandular ridge extends 

 from the middle of the inferior edge of the tympanum to a point above 

 the middle of the humerus. There are four thick glandular folds on 

 the back; the external or dorso-lateral ones begin above the tympanum. 

 A pair of slight ridges near the middle of the pelvic region. The inter- 

 orbital space, two-thirds the width of an eye-lid. The tubqrcles of 

 palm are well developed. The first finger is longer than the second, and 

 equal to the third. The internal cuniform tubercle is small and weak, 

 without an acute edge. Toes not fully webbed, the edges of the webs 

 deeply scalloped, leaving two phalanges of the fourth toe free. The 

 inferior and posterior parts of the thighs are granulated. 



Color. — Body pale brown, with two longitudinal rows of squarish 

 spots of dark brown color on the back and on each side; yellowish 

 white beneath; posterior half of the thighs bright yellow, mottled with 

 black. A dark brown spot on the top of each eye-lid and another near 

 the snout. A blackish line extending from the nostrils to the eyes. 



