46 COPEIA 



have of charming their prey, as all the wiles of this 

 snake had no effect upon the gopher. 



Herman Haupt, Jr., 

 South Haven, Michigan. 



THE MINK FROG, RANA SEPTENTRION- 

 ALIS BAIRD, IN ONTARIO. 



Mr. P. H. Pope's note on the distribution of 

 the mink frog in Maine,* recalls some of my experi- 

 ences with this species while stationed at Prof. C. V. 

 P. Young's boys' camp on Otter Lake, Dorset, On- 

 tario, in the summer of 1913. 



On July 7, in a peaty lake with clear sphag- 

 naceous border we found several Rana septentrion- 

 alis. From July 7-14, we heard at night along the 

 shore of Otter Lake the peculiar note which later 

 proved the croak of the mink frog. On the 15th of 

 July at 10 P. M. we heard several frogs and started 

 with flashlight for the Peat Lake where the species 

 was in chorus. The air temperature ranged from 52° 

 to 5,5° F., but the water of Otter Lake at its surface 

 registered 69° F. 



On July 16th and 17th, we examined the place 

 closely. All along the north edge of the lake were 

 white water lilies, yellow spatterdocks and water 

 shields. These three made a perfect carpet on the 

 water's surface. On these plants during the day the 

 mink frogs rested. Whenever the sun went under a 

 cloud or it became overcast they would croak. The 

 water was about two feet deep. By pushing our 

 canoe through the water plants toward the frogs, one 

 person could place a landing net in front of the quar- 

 ry while the other with the paddle could gently cause 

 the frog to leap into the net. In this way we caught 

 15 specimens. Often the frogs would jump along on 

 the lily pads, sometimes for considerable distance; sel- 

 dom, if ever, did they give a cry like frightened young 

 bullfrogs. Another favorite position was resting be- 



*Coi'eia. Mar. 15, 1915, No. 16. 



