EARLY WILD FLOWERS, CATKINS. 23 



of a comb, one end of which is wide and the other 

 narrow a comb, in fact, shaped like the steel one in a 

 music box. The notes are not whistled, and they are 

 therefore entirely unlike those of Pickering's hyla; 

 they are also not vivacious and shrill, but, on the con- 

 trary, moderate and soothing. The song of this frog 

 must not be confused with that of the tree toad (Hyla 

 versicolor) which we hear in early summer; but of 

 the tree toad's notes I will have something to say 

 further on. 



The Chorophilus triseriatus is about an inch long ; 

 he has slender limbs and toes, and a light ash-gray 

 body striped brown ; his skin beneath is yellow-white 

 and somewhat granular ; in fact, he is not a smooth 

 frog in appearance or in voice ! This species is com- 

 mon in the Northwest and in the swampy barrens of 

 southwestern New Jersey. Mr. E. D. Cope has also 

 found it in Gloucester County, N. J., and I am quite 

 sure I have heard it in Monmouth County ; but I 

 do not recollect having heard its unmistakable cres- 

 cendo tones in New England. Like the Acris and 

 Pickering's hyla, it sings in the latter part of March 

 or early April, but it continues through the spring 

 and early summer, and sometimes it can be heard in 

 the warmest part of the day. 



Yet another musical but somewhat harsh note 

 comes to our ears from the marsh in early April ; it 



