THE BATRACIIIA OF NORTH AMERICA. 



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Eaoie. As they scarcely swim, wlien surprised tliey seek refiiye in the 

 edge of the water, with so little movement as to render their capture 

 no easy matter. 



This species commences its season early. I have heard the swamps 

 of the barrens and thickets of southwestern New Jersey resound with 

 thera as early as the twentieth of March, when a skim of ice cov- 

 ered part of the water. I have also heard it in other level paiis of the 

 same State later in the season, and in the lower i)art of Chester County, 

 Pa. Its note resembles that of the Acris in being crepitant, and ditt'ers 

 from the toned cry or whistle of the Ilylaj. It is not so loul as the former 

 and Is deeper pitched; it may be imitated by drawing a point strongly 

 across a coar.se comb, commencing at the bottom of a jar and bringing 

 it rai>idly to the mouth; or, better, by restraining the voice to the separ- 

 ate vibrations of the vocal cords, and uttering a bar of a dozen or twenty 

 vibrations, beginning with the mouth closed and ending with it well 

 opened. 



The spotted form, called by Professor Agassiz Hyhdes macnlatvs. pre- 

 sents tiie following characters. The description is nuule from Professor 

 Agassiz's typical .specimen. 



This variety is of much the same delicate form as Triseriatus. The 

 head is small and narrow. The limbs are short ; the tibia twolifths the 

 length of the body. 



The tongue is ov al, nearly as wide as long ; rather thicker than usual ; 

 free behind, and scarcely, if at all, emarginated. Tiie teeth are in two 

 very small circular patches, each situated within and but little behind 

 the internal naresr separated by a wider interval than usual. The 

 tympanum is small and inconspicuous, not half the diameter of the or- 

 bit; the distance between the anterior eantlii of the orbits is barely 

 more than half that between the rami of the lower jaw, which is a little 

 less than tlu^ chord of the ramus. 



The lingers and toes are cylindrical, truncate, and rounded at the tips; 

 not dilated, but somewhat knoblted. Tlie outer finger is longer than 

 the third; the first is directe<l nearly at right angles with the third, 

 and considerably removed from the others. The outer toe is lon;^er 

 than the third ; the web is confined to the intervals between the meta- 

 tarsals, except a slight development between the bases of the fourth 

 ami fifth. A rounded tuberch^ at the base of foot on each side. Body 

 everywhere granulated ex('ei)t on the interior surliices. 



The ground color is of a brownish-ash above, with crowded and 

 elongated blotches of darker arranged irregularly, or not serially, as in 

 most other varieties; a dark .stripe on the side of the head through the 

 tympanum and extending to the shoulder, and in one specimen an 

 elongated bl()tcli on the side of tlie body may almost be considered a 

 prolongation of the same. There is the usual light line along the edge 

 of the jaw, extending to the arm. The limbs are blotched above, but 





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