SOME METHODS AND RESULTS IN HERPETOLOGY 



/)'// Maru Ci/i/lliKi Dii-h'ir.siiii 



TIIK Biilltrot;' (Jroiip, wliicli lias hccii ])iil on cxliil)!! ion at llic Muscuin 

 in the cast towiT of tlu' srcoiul Hoor, rcprcsciits a .Inly scene typical 

 of Soiitiicrn New England. Knowlcdj^^c of tlic l>ullfro;j; consists 

 iisnally in an acipiaintancc with liis sedate a])pearance on the liaiik of a 

 pool or with the sonorous sonnd of his "ju^-o-nini" during sununer nights. 

 We do not realize that a i)ond which may chance to he the home of this 

 giant of the fro^s of North America is a small world of continnal dramu 

 with the bullfrog well in the i)lot. 



The group in comiection with its descriptixc labels attempts to show 

 the general biology of thi' frog, its swinuning, croaking, breathing imder 

 water and in air, the manner in which it "lies low" before a near enemy 

 when it camiot escape by leaping, its food habits in connection with small 

 mannnals, birds, snakes, fish and turtles, insects and snails. It also shows 

 the metamorphosis from the tadpole. 



The Bullfrog Groiij) is no\el in that it has a transparent backgroimd, 

 curved in panoramic fashion and made of fine and diiiable linen. This is 

 painted in transparent colors, 

 the high lights on the front, 

 the shadows on the back, in 

 an effort to obtain a realistic 

 woodland scene with shifting 

 light in it and through it as 

 in nature. The light at the 

 back of the canvas has been 

 kept at the inininnmi and 

 Imlanced on the canvas in 

 front by a weak indirect light, 

 while a relatively strong di- 

 rect light has been focii.sed on 

 the foreground as if from the 

 western sky (direction of the 

 observer). It has becii hoped 

 to obtain by this lighting some 

 slight illusion and perspecli\-e 

 notwithstanding the small- 



ness of the space (S^ ft. bv (i M^^'^'in^' tl,,. .Ia„.,Hs.. K-iant .salamander (Meoalo- 



' ^ •_ 6(;(rrirAi/x j(i/)<)»(fi/M Irorii a livitiB specimen loaned by 



ft.). To help the perspective the Xow York Zoolo^'leal Park. Wholly aquatic 



in a minor degree in addition, am,.hibians are nol lik.ly to maintain the shape for 



. ca-stinK when removetl from the water, and must be 



there has been resort to \ ari- given over to the animal sculptor for modeling 



203 



