514 PROCEEDINGS OF THE INDIANA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



formed they quit the Avater and scatter everywhere through pastures and 

 meadows, in this respect rather resembhng toads than frogs. One of their 

 favorite haunts in late summer is some meadow, where they sit at the edge 

 of a burrow snapping up insects that come along, and quietly backing into the 

 hole at the approach of danger. One such, that had become too plump with 

 food to squeeze into the burrow, was caught and kept a captive. When un- 

 disturbed, it frequently uttered low tremulous notes, quite pleasing to the 

 ear. Another favorite habitat is the prairie-hke flats at the edge of ponds. 

 It is only occasionally that they are found at the water's edge, ready to jump 

 in at the sign of danger. 



There are occasions, however, when this frog seeks the water. They re- 

 tire to the bottom of ponds or to the edge of the lake to hibernate, and 

 frequently on lifting a stick or board from the bottom near shore late in 

 autumn, one or more of these frogs can be found under it, straight and stiff, 

 unable to move. In the spring a good many are often found dead under the 

 ice of the thawing ponds, and it appears that the wintering-over process 

 results in considerable mortality among them. 



Early in the spring as soon as the ice has left, they begin to be commonly 

 seen about. One of the earhest records is March 18. As soon as the sun 

 has shghtly warmed up the pools in the neigh]>orhood of the lake they appear 

 in numbers. A dismal croaking can be heard in marshy places, but no singer 

 can be seen, and although all heads in sight seem to go down under water, 

 the croaking continues. For a long time this croaking was a mastery, and was 

 attributed to some other creature, but on a trip along a ditch west of the 

 lake in the spring (April 9). two of these frogs were observed engaged in a 

 lively tussle, Hke a boxing match. They then sank to the bottom of the ditch 

 and began croaking. C'onsi)icuous gular pouches projected from each side 

 of the head, giving it a lance-like appearance, much more like that of a serpent 

 than a frog. As the frogs croaked, the pouches worked in and out like parts 

 of a bellows. Although the frogs were entirely under water no bubbles 

 were seen. 



In the spring when these frogs first come out of winter quarters, they are 

 semi-torpid and easily captured, but with the advent of warm weather they 

 become active and are difficult to capture without a landing net. 



In some places these frogs are esteemed as an article of diet. In Chicago 

 they are hunted almost to e.xtermination. The frog hunters go with sacks 

 to the ponds where they breed and catch them in great numbers. When 

 placed in the sack they croak constantly, the sound being much like that 

 which they make during the mating season. The saddles are seen in great 

 numbers on the fish markets where they retail at lo cents per dozen. 



The Leopard Frog mates and spawTis throughout April and probably 

 into the month of May. One of the favorite spawning places was a .shallow 

 temporary pool near Hank's marsh. Here on April 8, (1901) a great many 

 were .^en mating. The male which appears to be usually the smaller, clasps 



