Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 637 

 13. PICKERING'S TREE-TOAD 



HYLA CRUCIFER Wied 



Although its range extends over all the eastern United States, 

 there are comparatively few people who know Pickering's Tree- 

 toad at sight. Its presence is manifest to the ear rather than to 

 the eye. At Lake Maxinkuckee it is seldom seen, only two ex- 

 amples having been obtained by us. These were captured in 

 Aubeenaubee Creek, September 3. It appears, however, not to be 

 uncommon. Its shrill peep is the first sound to waken the marshes 

 in spring. It begins singing a few days before Pseudacris, and 

 after that species has begun, the high-pitched "peep, peep" of the 

 little Hyla can be heard above the rattling chorus of the swamp 

 tree-toad. Pickering's Tree-toad does not sing in concert, but dif- 

 ferent individuals appear to pipe to each other. It sings about the 

 edges of flat shallow marshes, such as those by the Inlet, and by 

 the tamarack swamps. It continued to sing from early April 

 until about May 9. 



In autumn a sound much resembling the springtime note is 

 frequently heard from forest trees or low shrubs on damp days. 

 All attempts to find the author of the note were unavailing, but it 

 is supposed that it is made by this toad. It is one of the charac- 

 teristic sounds of autumn. 



The following description will assist in recognizing the Picker- 

 ing Tree-toad: Yellowish or fawn-color, with dusky rhomboidal 

 spots and lines, the latter usually arranged in the form of an ob- 

 lique cross; head with lines; limbs barred; tympanum very ob- 

 scure. Length one inch. 



14. LEOPARD FROG 



RANA PIPIENS Schreber 



The Leopard Frog is the most widely distributed of the frogs 

 found about the lake, its range extending over North America 

 westward to the Sierra Nevada and southward into Mexico. 



At Lake Maxinkuckee it is to be found almost anywhere along 

 the shore and in low grassy meadows and in the shallow ponds of 

 the region. Examples were taken in Lost Lake, in Culver Inlet, 

 in various places about Lake Maxinkuckee, in the shallow pond 

 by Hawk's marsh, and in the woods northeast of the lake. 



The Leopard Frog is the least aquatic of the frogs. It does not 

 spend much of its time in the water, but prefers to dwell in mead- 

 ows and moist grassy places, and can even be found in quite dry 



