52 



RANDOM NOTES ON NATURAL HISTORY. 



Reptiles and Batrachians of Rhode Island. 



BY HERMON C. BUMPUS. 



Number X. 



CLASS — BATRACHIA. 



We have now disposed of those animals 

 of our state which are known as reptiles; 

 which have the body covered to a more or 

 less extent with scales, and the toes, when 

 present, armed with claws ; and we come to 

 the lower Batrachians, which have the skin 

 unprovided with protective horny out- 

 growths and the toes clawless. 



As was remarked in connection with the 

 reptiles, there has been as 3'et but little 

 work done in this department, and the num- 

 ber of known species must of necessit}' be 

 greatl}' increased b}^ a little exertion on the 

 part of collectors, especially in the more 

 southern portions of the state, where, in 

 localities, the flora is said to resemble to no 

 little extent that of the Southern States. 



Onr Batrachians may be divided into two 

 branches : Anura, including those forms 

 that, when adult, are tailless, like the Toads 

 and Frogs, and Urodela, the tailed Batrach- 

 ians, of which the salamanders are illus- 

 trative. Of each division there are about 

 ten representatives liable to be found in the 

 state. 



1. Order Anura. The genus Bufo is 

 represented b^'the common Toad, B. ameri- 

 canus of Le Conte, and B. lentiginosus 

 americanus of Cope, an animal inhabiting 

 the entire eastern portion of the continent, 

 and known by all at sight. 



In the early spring, and remaining some- 

 times until late in June, these animals con- 

 gregate in the warm, shallow pools of our 

 meadows and fairh^ make the air ring with 

 their trills. While thus calling they seem 

 to be unmindful of danger, and with "croak- 

 ing bag" inflated, they ma}^ be roughly 

 handled without evincing any other signs 

 than those of annoyance. They seem to 

 have no anxiety except that their kin, of 

 afar off, may know of their whereabouts and 

 direct their course accordingly. Hiberna- 

 tion is performed in some shallow bur- 

 row in an old field, or possibl}' in the mud 

 of some pond or spring. Mr. Allen men- 

 tions a case where an old well, on being 

 cleaned out, was found to contain several 



individuals of this species, all in a state of 

 hibernation, and some, judging from the 

 depth of the debris that had collected over 

 them, apparently having been entombed for 

 a length of at least ten or fifteen years ; the 

 temperature of the well being considerably 

 lower than that at which they naturally be- 

 come active. 



The eggs of this species are the long 

 slim}' ribbons seen so often in the spring, 

 floating or attached to aquatic plants. The 

 tadpoles, the time of the development of 

 which depends on the temperature, are small 

 and black, and can be easih' distinguished 

 from the large larvae of the frogs. 



In its distribution the toad is singular, 

 being a more or less local animal, in some 

 situations abounding, while in others it is 

 seldom seen. It is crepuscular, sauntering 

 out during early evening, and often choosing 

 as its route a frequented path, where it is 

 often injured by the careless pedestrian. 

 The da}' is spent in some retired hoUovv of 

 the animal's own construction, or under a 

 board or flat rock. The amount of de- 

 structive insect life captured in a single 

 evening's stroll by one of these harmless 

 animals is truly amazingl It need never be 

 confounded with any other anurous batrach- 

 ian, as the jaws are toothless, the toes 

 webbed, and the skin warty — characters 

 which at once distinguish it. 



2. Scajihiojyus holbrookii Baird (S. soli- 

 tariiis) Holbrook. The Spade-foot Toad is 

 undoubtedly heard in Rhode Island at times, 

 though of its capture I am not aware. It 

 differs from the common toad in having the 

 jaws provided with teeth, and from the 

 frogs in having the web of the hind feet but 

 poorly developed. 



Though a small animal, the Spade-foot's 

 voice is described as being far more power- 

 ful than that of the combined energies of all 

 its relatives, and so peculiar as to attract 

 the attention of the most indifferent. Aside 

 from this distinctive peculiarity, however, 

 the animal is characterized by a horn}' scale 

 on the inside of each metatarsus, which is 

 used in burrowing, and gives origin to the 

 peculiar name " Spade-foot." 



As to the habits of this rare animal, they 

 are peculiar indeed. The appearance is 

 only periodical and at chosen localities ; 

 sometimes not being heard for years, and 

 then, possibly on the occurrence of proper 



