12 THE ANOURA OF NE'-V BRUNSWICK. 



Said to occur in Nova Scotia, but not reported from P. E. Island. 



RANiD^. 



(The Frogs.) 



Rana si/vatica Le Conte. 



Wood Frog. 



This slender and graceful little frog,the smallest of the genus 

 here, frequents forests and bush}'- covers, but is also found in 

 fields, meadows, and grassy heaths where the type undergoes 

 considerable variation. Body stouter with shorter legs; palma- 

 tion greater,dorsal spots larger and lateral ones often fused into a 

 line under the dorso-lateral fold as in R. cantabrigensis Baird ; 

 coloration dark purple instead of " dead leaf," with greater mottl- 

 ing of the inferior surfaces ; an obscure spot above the eye, the 

 two often fused into a transverse interorbital line. Characters so 

 fixed and general as to entitle to subspeciric recognition. 



Generally distributed throughout the maritime provinces, 

 and the Gaspe i)eninsula. 



R. virescens Kahn. 



Green Frog. 



This frog varies greatly, but the variation tends in two niorc 

 or less well marked directions to which subspecific and even 

 specific rank has been assigned by some herpetologists ; but. as 

 numerous intermediate forms showing a blending of the char- 

 acters of both and difficult of reference to either, always occur, it 

 would seem as if the differentiation had not reached the degree 

 of permanence involved in the idea of species. Indeed the char- 

 acters exhibit such an absence of stabilit}', and the general equi- 

 librium is so easily disturbed, as to suggest the ])robnbility of 

 a recent origin, a position which finds some support in the late 

 Prof. E. D. Cope's view of the phylogen}' of the frogs of Nortli 

 America. In this respect it is in strong contrast to E. jKilu-^tris 

 Le Conte, a very uniform species. 



The Green Frog, then, presents in New P>runswiek the fol- 

 lowing two varieties : 



