44 FROGS. 



long periods or slowly patrol in the open stretches of lakes, ponds, 

 and streams for their game. The bitterns inhabit the cover of the 

 marshes and stalk their prey. Among the hawks, the various 

 species of kites feed upon frogs, but because of their rarity are a 

 negligible factor. The marsh hawks eat some frogs. The despised 

 Cooper's hawk rarely takes to a frog diet, while the red-shouldered 

 hawk and sometimes the broad-winged hawk eagerly seek frogs. 

 Into the diet of owls frogs seldom enter, the barred owl most fre- 

 quently being the depredator. W. B. Barrows " found that no food 

 occurs more regularly in the crow's stomach than frogs and toads. 

 In April to July it is the largest live animal item, except insects, in 

 the crow's diet. Of the kingfisher frogs need to beware, though 

 they are seldom seen with frogs or tadpoles, fish being the usual 

 fare. Bronzed grackles eat frogs but rarely. The totipalmate 

 birds, like the snakebird, cormorant, and pelican, are largely fish 

 eaters, but they, no doubt, pursue and capture some frogs. Several 

 ducks are reputed to eat frogs, and one, the hooded merganser, is 

 often called the ''frog duck." It would also be well to bear in mind 

 the charge that domestic ducks eat the tadpoles and occasionally 

 the transformed and transforming stages. 



Mammals. — In this country the four-footed mammals which eat 

 frogs are very few. Most of these belong to the weasel tribe. Tlie 

 skunk enjoys a good frog when he can catch it, and the mink quite 

 frequently varies his diet with them. The weasels are occasional 

 depredators, but are not comparable to the house or brown rat, 

 which tries anything and everything it can catch. The muskrat is a 

 nuisance in any pond and should be held with suspicion, as should 

 the raccoon. Some individual domestic cats have been known to 

 develop a fondness for frogs, and particularly for tadpoles. 



Man is not content with cleaning up and draining the*" frog holes" 

 or swampy stretches, but he kiUs the frogs at all seasons. Few, if 

 any, of our State legislatures see fit to protect them and establish 

 open and closed seasons. As a result, they are taken mainly when 

 they congregate for breeding purposes, and such a toll hardly accords 

 with the ideas of conservation held at the present day. 



Nine-tenths of the wild supply is secured at the breeding season 

 or just before breeding. Such a profligate expenditure can not long 

 escape our attention. As thoughtless youths many of us often 

 counted our strings of 100, and some of us hunted them regardless 

 of the season. 



In the eastern United States the four important commercial forms 

 should not be killed in the wild state before the following dates: 



Leopard frog May 1, or, better, May 15. 



Pickerel frog May 10, or, better, May 20. 



Bullfi-og July 1, or, better, July 15. 



Green frog July 15, or, better, August 1. 



oBaiTOWs, W. B., and Schwarz, E. A.: The common crow of the United States. U. S. Department 

 of Agriculture, Division of Ornithology and Mammalogy, Bulletin No. 6, pp. 50, 51. Washington, 1895. 



