SHORT STUDIES OF BATRACHIANS. 325 



knowledge of our batrachians, who dared to correct his 

 teacher on this matter while on a Saturday fishing-frolic, 

 and who was in turn " corrected " by the teacher on the 

 following Monday. 



Here, then, we have five well-marked species of frogs, 

 all found in great numbers in this one limited locality, 

 and available to the student every day in the year. That 

 they have taught me so little is my fault, not theirs. 



A toad-like creature, yet differing from toads and 

 frogs, is known among naturalists as the " hermit spade- 

 foot." It is seldom seen; more seldom is it to find any 

 person who has knowingly seen one, and, if it should hap- 

 pen to be accidentally encountered, the average citizen 

 would, if he looked at it at all, probably say " hop-toad," 

 and never suspect that it was a very different animal. But, 

 then, why should he, as the average citizen does not usually 

 want knowledge that can not be converted into dollars 

 and cents? 



The spade-foot is wholly terrestrial in its habits. Like 

 the frogs and hop-toads, it goes to the water to spawn, 

 but at no other time. The eggs are placed around a 

 single spike of grass, and are said to hatch in six days. 

 The growth of the tadpoles " is very rapid, not more than 

 two or three weeks elapsing before the young toads leave 

 the water." 



My first acquaintance with the spade-foot was in May, 

 1874. Passing, early one morning, by the eide of a 

 shallow pond, thickly overgrown with rank vegetation, 

 my attention was called to a peculiar and very loud noise, 

 coming from the water, and which was quite new to me. 

 As has been remarked by a prominent naturalist, " the 

 peculiar, harsh croaking of this singular toad must be 

 heard to be appreciated, and can then never be confounded 



