II 8 OHIO STATE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



The toad is one of our best friends inasmuch as the number 

 of flies and insects that he devours daily is prodigious. It is 

 needless to say in this connection that the superstition that holds 

 among many, that evil effects will follow the killing of a toad is 

 a most advantageous belief, but bears a different interpretation. 

 Did there exist more such superstitions the cause of scientific 

 agriculture would be strengthened tenfold. 



Generally distributed over the State, common everywhere. 



Specimens in the U. S. Nat. Mus., recorded by Cope from Marietta. In 



the Oberlin College Museum, collected by Lynds Jones from Ivorain Co.; in 



O. S. U. Mus., collected by the author at Cedar Point, Vinton, Youngstown, 



Chillicothe, Newton Falls and Licking Co. 



Family : HYLIDAE. 



Acris gryllus crepitans Baird. Above olive-brown, with an inverted 

 *' Y "-shaped green area; the median parts of the "Y" extend along the 

 vertebral line, the forking taking place on the rump. Brown triangle 

 between eyes. Sides marked with three oblong blotches. White line from 

 eye to shoulder. Disks of fingers small, not webbed. Toes with broad webs. 

 Snout blunt. Inner surface of thigh immaculate. Length i ^ inch. 



The Cricket-frog is well known to anyone who frequents the 

 river-side or the swamp less, however, by its appearance than its 

 note. If one can imagine a rattling of pebbles mingled with the 

 screech of a violin string in a high note, he may have a sugges- 

 tion of the Cricket- frog's note. When given it is either a contin- 

 uous chirp or given in sets of chirps of three each, each rising in 

 pitch. So nearly does the color of the frog blend with that of 

 its surroundings that it is detected with but the greatest difficulty. 



In the Cricket- frog we have virtually a Tree-frog with ter- 

 restrial habits. The presence of the terminal suckers on the toes 

 would seem to indicate a former arboreal mode of life. Common 

 everywhere. 



Specimens in O. S. U. Museum from Central College, Franklin, Dela- 

 ware, Lawrence, Warren, Fairfield, Ottawa and Knox Cos., and collected by 

 the author from Ross and Trumbull Cos., and at Youngstown, Newark 

 and Vinton. 



Chorophilus triseriatus Wied. Toes scarcely webbed ; fingers without 

 webs. Ground color above ashy, with a brownish median dorsal stripe, 

 dividing into two above in middle of body. Lateral to this on either side 

 and running parallel on level with ear is a brownish stripe. A third stripe 

 runs along the sides of the head from the snout backward, making in all six 

 .stripes running more or less parallel. Length I inch. 



