510 PROCEEDINGS OF THE INDIANA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



Although the cricket frogs are related to the tree-frogs, they never stray 

 far from the water's edge, but remain along the shore ready to jump into the 

 water at the slightest alarm. They are very alert and strong jumpers; and 

 are therefore diificult to catch. When they jump into the water they do not 

 dive to the bottom, as many of the Wcxter frogs do, but swim back to shore. 

 They are very variable in appearance; some have a bright gi-een y-shaped 

 mark, but in others this is brown or obscure. The cricket frogs come out of 

 their winter-quarters and remain out until late in the fall ; they have been seen 

 on shore as early as March 7 and as late as November 30. 



. Although the Cricket Frog comes out early in the spring, it does not 

 begin to sing until the water is well warmed up, which is some time after 

 the Pickering Frog and the Swamp Tree Frog have begun their singing. 

 They began singing as early as April 28 and continued until as late as August 

 5. After a short season of rest they sing again more or less in late autumn. 

 One was heard singing September 12, and they were heard singing again 

 October 22. 



During the height of the singing season the rattle of these frogs is almost 

 continuous, and at times nearly deafening. The note resembles the rattling 

 of pebbles. Toward the end of the singing season, the music was rather 

 peculiar. After an interval of silence, one would start the song, then all the 

 others would being spasmodically and sing awhile. During the summer it 

 is easy to start one of these frogs singing by concealing one's sell and striking 

 two pebbles together, thus imitating the note of the frog. The first one seen 

 singing was started this way. It had been difficult actually to see any of these 

 frogs singing as they usually became silent when approached. By the means 

 described above, one that was in sight was started, and the whole process 

 observed. They sit fully out of the water, hidden in grass or rushes, inflate 

 a large bubble under the chin, and work their flanks considerably while rat- 

 tling. 



In raking out leaves and water weeds near shor(> in the late autumn these 

 frogs are frequently brought out torpid and stiff. In such places they doubt- 

 less spend the winter. 



On December 'S, several dead Oicket Frogs were found in a cut-off east of 

 Farrar's and several were found hiding and in a .semi-torpid condition under 

 leaves at the water's edge. 



The Cricket Frog probably subsists on inst^cts, especially the small midges 

 so abundant at the water's edge. They are sometimes used for bait. 



The foUomng brief description will assist in identifying the species: 



Toes broadly webbed, tipped with small disks; tympanum indistinct; 

 hind legs very long; brownish above; middle of back and head bright green 

 or reddish brown; a dark triangh^ l^etween the eyes; sides with three oblique 

 blotches; a white line from eye to arm. Length li»^ inches. 



