BATRACHIANS OF THE VICINITY OF NEW YORK 187 
Range: Four varieties of this species inhabit North America. 
One of these appears to occur only in northeastern Massachu- 
setts; another is confined to the Rocky Mountain region; the 
typical form is found in the southeastern United States, while 
the variety that occurs locally is distributed over an extensive 
area, namely: from British America to the Southern States and 
westward to Arizona. 
Local Distribution: Common and abundant. 
There is but one species of the local batrachians which 
FIG. 16. THE COMMON TOAD 
From specimen in Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 
might be confused by the observer with the Common Toad, and 
that is the Spadefoot Toad. The Spadefoot Toad receives its 
name from a pronounced spade-like process on the inner edge of 
the hind foot, a feature which is also slightly developed on the 
common species. The color of the Spadefoot is, however, quite 
different from the ordinary toad. Instead of the single light 
band along the back of the Common Toad, the Spadefoot has 
two pale bands, which run together and fork at the end of the 
body. 
Many of the reptiles and batrachians have habits which 
tender them of considerable economic value to the agriculturist, 
