204 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 
skin which is present on each side of the body in that species. 
There is, in fact, no trace of this in the Bull Frog. A full-grown 
specimen will measure 14} inches from the tip of the snout to 
the end of the outstretched limbs, and 6? inches when in a 
sitting position. Such a specimen would weigh about one pound. 
Range: The eastern and central portions of the United 
States and southern Canada. 
Local Distribution: General, but not so abundant as the 
Pond Frog. 
The Bull Frog frequents larger bodies of water than the 
common Pond Frog, being especially partial to large ponds and 
slow-running rivers, where the banks are lined with overhanging 
vegetation in which it can find concealment. The tadpoles 
grow to a greater size than those of the Common Frog. They 
may be distinguished by their distinctly yellowish abdomen. 
During the hours of sunlight they have a habit of lying in shal- 
lows around the borders of the pond, but upon the slightest dis- 
turbance they scurry for deeper water with startling activity 
and swim close to the bottom in order to leave a trail of muddy 
water, agitated by the thrashing of their tails. This maneuver 
tends to conceal their exact location. 
Bull Frogs, particularly young specimens, have a peculiar 
habit of emitting a sharp cry when disturbed on the bank, and 
instead of plunging directly into the water, they skim over the 
surface for a short distance. The Common Frog, on the other 
hand, when disturbed, jumps into the water and instantly dives 
to the bottom, where, with a quick kicking of the hind limbs, 
it stirs up a cloud of mud in which it can conceal itself. 
The Bull Frog is a most voracious creature. Mature speci- 
mens do not hesitate to swallow any moving object of about 
their own size that may come within reach of the wide gape of 
their jaws. They are largely insectivorous, but birds and small 
rodents are frequently eaten. Captive specimens experience no 
difficulty in swallowing sparrows or half-grown rats. 
The call of a Bull Frog differs from the ordinary “croak” of a 
Pond Frog. It is a deep, protracted bass, resembling the sound 
made by drawing a bow for half its length across the string of a 
bass-viol. The note is repeated four to six times. 
