COP EI A 107 



NOTES ON THE BREEDING OF THE 

 AMERICAN TOAD. 



I had the opportunity on June 5, 1917, to ob- 

 serve the breeding of the American Toad. The place 

 was a small artificial pool, about four by six feet. 

 A steady rain fell throughout the evening. Mr. 

 Richard G. Turner and I first approached the sing- 

 ing male at 9:00 P. M. It was quite dark at the 

 time. At first we could not advance towards the toad 

 within thirty feet without the trill's instantly ceasing. 

 We used the most stealthy manner of approach. 

 Then we tried hiding behind a tree, but the first step 

 would be detected and the trill stopped at once until 

 we withdrew. About ten o'clock we discovered that 

 our steps were not followed by silence, and to our 

 amazement we walked up to the pool and threw on 

 a small electric search light, all the while the trill 

 continuing. The male was sitting on the edge of the 

 pool, the throat membrane fully extended and the 

 trill throbbing in our ears. Five feet away was the 

 large female rapidly hopping towards the male. 

 From this time on, the toads seemed to take no no- 

 tice of our motions. Indeed, again and again we 

 reached down and touched or tightly held the inflated 

 membrane as the male sang. Even this made no dif- 

 ference to the toad. 



The performance that went on was repeated as 

 long as we stayed. It was as follows: When the 

 male began to trill, the effect on the female was in- 

 stantaneous. Whether she was in the water or on 

 the land, she would make frantic efforts to reach the 

 male. But the second the trill stopped she was all 

 indifference, and often in a few moments would hop 

 off in another direction. But as the trills came every 

 few minutes, she would finally in one of her drives 

 reach the male while he was in the midst of a trill. 

 He would not seem to notice her until she was within 

 an inch of him ; then he would scramble on her back, 



