Lake Maxmkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 633 



these, with the exception of thoughtless boys, appear to be their 

 chief enemy. 



In addition to its mating song the toad appears to have a song 

 it sings on land, a low, pleasing, tremulous strain. 



The singing is often prolonged late into the summer, and "its 

 music in retired ponds and swamps, as darkness creeps over the 

 face of nature, is both weird and somnific." 



10. CRICKET FROG 



ACRIS GRYLLUS (LeConte) 



The Cricket Frog is common in swamps throughout the eastern 

 United States. It is common along the shore of Lake Maxin- 

 kuckee, but more particularly abundant along such parts of the 

 lake edge as are low and swampy. It is abundant along the shores 

 of the various inlets of the lake, and quite common about the Outlet 

 and the shores of Lost Lake. Numerous examples were taken, rep- 

 resenting all parts of the shore, and the various inlets of the lake. 



Although the cricket frogs are related to the tree-frogs, they 

 never stray far from the water's edge, but remain along the shore 

 ready to jump into the water at the slightest alarm. They are 

 very alert and strong jumpers, and are therefore difficult to catch. 

 When they jump into the water they do not dive to the bottom, as 

 many of the water frogs do, but swim back to shore. They are very 

 variable in appearance; some have a bright green y-shaped 

 mark, but in others this is brown or obscure. The cricket frogs 

 come out of their winter- quarters and remain out until late in the 

 fall ; they have been seen on shore as early as March 7 and as late 

 as November 30. 



Although the Cricket Frog comes out early in the spring it 

 does not begin to sing until the water is well warmed up, which 

 is some time after the Pickering Frog and the Swamp Tree-frog 

 have begun their singing. They began singing as early as April 

 28 and continued until as late as August 5. After a short season 

 of rest they sing again more or less in late autumn. One was 

 heard singing September 12, and they were heard singing again 

 October 22. 



During the height of the singing season the rattle of these 

 frogs is almost continuous, and at times nearly deafening. The 

 note resembles the rattling of pebbles. Toward the end of the 

 singing season, the music was rather peculiar. After an interval 

 of silence, one would start the song, then all the others would begin 

 spasmodically and sing awhile. During the summer it is easy to 



