18 HERPETOLOGY OF MICHIGAN. 



season and the associated habits are most interesting. Particular 

 points to be noted are, — time of appearance in the spring, habitat, 

 food habits, time of breeding, characteristic notes of the different 

 species, method of fertilizing the eggs, nature of egg masses, time of 

 hatching of eggs, habits and metamorphosis of larvae. 



METHODS OF COLLECTING AND PRESERVING 



SPECIMENS. 



Collecting: Since most of the species come to the streams or 

 ponds to breed in the spring this is the best season for collecting. 

 They may also be collected during the entire summer and fall, but 

 as most of the species leave the ponds after breeding and become 

 more solitary, they are much more difficult to find. However, dur- 

 ing the summer many frogs will be found along the borders of 

 ponds and lakes, along the banks of streams, near springs, and in 

 marshes, woods and fields. The toad and the tree frogs as a rule 

 retreat from the water after the breeding season is past. 



The Caudata, or tailed amphibians, with the exception of 

 Hemidactylium scutatimi, Plethodon enjthronotus and Nectiirus 

 iiiaculosus^ may be found in the spring in small ponds where they 

 have gone to breed. At other times during the year they, with 

 Hemidactylium scutatum and Plethodon erythronotus, are to be 

 found under logs, moss, and in and around decaying stumps and 

 logs in the woods. Some may also be found, before entering the 

 water in the spring, under logs and stumps in woody places. Nec- 

 turiis maciilosus may be caught at all seasons of the year in the 

 larger lakes and streams. Plethodon erythronotus never enters the 

 water. It may be found under the bark of decayed logs and similar 

 places. Hemidactyliu'm scutatum, so far as is known, does not 

 enter the water. It may be collected, during the spring at least, 

 under loose moss and in old stumps in low, wet woods. The two 

 year old form of Diemictylus viridescens may be found in decaying 

 logs with the other species, but younger and older forms occur in 

 the ponds at all seasons. 



Amphibians may be readily caught with the hands or by means 

 of a net. The best net to use is a long handled dip net of small 

 mesh and deep enough to prevent the escape of frogs after 

 they are caught. The net is useful in collecting frogs or toads when 

 in the water, or for scooping them out of the mud at the bottom of 

 ponds. A 22 caliber rifle shooting cartridges loaded with dust shot 

 (No. 14), or a 28 gauge shot gun loaded with light loads of powder 



