358 IN LOWER FLORIDA WILDS 



seven or eight different calls, though it is difficult 

 to separate and identify them. In the brackish 

 swamp I have occasionally heard at night a 

 contralto frog note which sounds to me like 

 "gul, gul, gul; gul guggle, gul guggle" slowly 

 repeated several times. I know of no sweeter, 

 more charming sound in all nature than the song 

 of this frog, and it must be a stony hearted female 

 that would be deaf to it. I have only heard it a 

 few times and it's author is so shy I have never 

 been able to discover him, nor can I learn its 

 name though it is probably a Hyla. Whoever 

 has the opportunity of hearing this low sweet call 

 may consider himself fortunate. 



One of the agreeable notes in the frog concert 

 is the long-drawn and, to me, musical "mr-r-r-r-r-r" 

 or "mree-e-e-e-e" of a variety of the common 

 toad (Bufo lentiginosus). One cannot help won- 

 dering how so homely a creature can have such a 

 delightful song. In fact the whole medley of this 

 batrachian symphony is, to the real lover of nature, 

 charming and thrilling. 



During the late winter and early spring the fire- 

 flies, those stars of the fields, are very abundant 

 in our hammocks and low grounds. Our com- 



