126 bulletin: museitm of comparative zoology. 



tree frogs, but belongs to a nearly related family, the Polypedatidae. 

 The differences between the two families are in the structure of the 

 skeleton and will not be discussed here. 



The "whistling frog" (Plate 1, fig. 2; Plate 2, fig. 5), as Bermuda 

 people call it, is very small. A large female measured 28 mm. long, 

 while the average male is about 22 mm. in length. 



In color they are grayish brown above with darker transverse bands 

 in front of the e.yes, between the shoulders, and above the sacral 

 humps. The distinctness of these markings depends upon the phase 

 of the animal's coloration. In the day time the color is usually very 

 dark and the markings hardly show, but at night it becomes pale and 

 then they are quite conspicuous. The hind legs are barred with dark. 

 The under parts are pale and not spotted. The skin is comparatively 

 smooth except underneath, where it is granular. 



A striking peculiarity of this group, which especially fits it for life 

 in Bermuda, is the fact that in development the entire larval stage is 

 passed in the egg, a free-swimming tadpole stage being unknown. The 

 eggs are laid either on plants or under stones on damp ground and the 

 young hatch out in the form of perfect frogs, quite able to take care 

 of themselves. 



Until lately nothing was known about the breeding habits of this 

 species. In July I found females full of large eggs and concluded that 

 the breeding season was in the fall. This has been confirmed by a 

 recent letter from Dr. Crozier in which he says: 



"Sept. 15, 1916. In Paget I found some eggs which I took to be 

 those of E. johnstonei. They were fastened to twigs,. . . about a 

 dozen in a cluster, all 'round the stem. Eggs 1-1.5 mm. in diameter." 



In June and July I found "whistling frogs" very abundant all 

 through Pembroke. They occur almost everywhere, especially, 

 however, in thickets of oleander and cedar, and most abundantly in 

 swampy places and in growths of Bryophyllum or "life plant." The 

 old quarry at Pembroke Crossroads, shown in Plate 2, fig. 8, was my 

 favorite hunting ground. I took about 50 from the place last year 

 and fully as many this year, but the number did not seem to be 

 diminished thereby. 



I found it easy to catch them at night by following up their call with 

 a light. They usually sit on a sloping leaf or rock, always with the 

 head downward and the hind legs half spread. The male has a large, 

 collapsible throat pouch, wanting in the female, which opens from the 

 floor of the mouth by a pair of slits, one on each side of the tongue. 

 When the call is gWvn this pouch is expanded like a great bubble 



