Hylidae 



eye. The yellow colouring of the body and legs does not appear 

 until after they have left the water.' The young frogs are over 

 one-half inch long when they leave the water, and by October 

 are one inch in length. They are known to feed upon spiders, 

 flies, and plant -lice. 



Hyla versicolor has a relatively keen sense of locality, some- 

 times remaining in one place for weeks or more at a time. It is 

 said that these tree frogs may stay in one tree for weeks and 

 months. In such a situation they would certainly find them.selves 

 surrounded by supplies for their every demand — food, shelter, and 

 moisture. A tree frog is so small that a tree with its many 

 branches and leaves is like a palace for him. There are sunny 

 rooms which flies and beetles visit. There are darker ones where 

 ants and plant-lice, beetles and tree crickets are to be found. 

 There are rooms on the north side of the tree, where the large 

 branches join the trunk. These are cool and moist on the hottest 

 summer day. 



The Common Tree Frog is most active at dusk and in the night. 

 It is then that he wanders over his great palace. His bright eyes 

 see every moving caterpillar and beetle, and his sticky tongue 

 snaps them up greedily. He sees moving objects at two or more 

 feet distance, and makes aerial leaps to get them. He is almost 

 sure to catch the insect, and what becomes of himself does not 

 trouble him, since he is certain to touch some leaf or twig with 

 at least one of his four sets of sticky toes. A bit of frantic acrobat- 

 work does the rest, and places him securely on some perch where 

 he can enjoy his meal at leisure. 



HYLA ARENICOLOR, COPE 



Identification Characteristics 



Colour: Sand-colour, light or dark grey, or olive. Ihreeorfour 

 irregular rows of rounded dark spots on the back, or fewer large 

 blotches. For colouration, see Colour Plate X. A curved band of 

 dark colour between the eyes; this band may be broken in the mid- 

 line, as it is in Hyla versicolor. Two or three bands of dark colour 

 on the leg. (Fig. 144.) Eyes metallic yellow, or grey. Ear 



1 The most of the facts regarding the development are from M. H. Hinckley's account. Proc. 

 Bos. Soc. Nat. Hist., XXI, 1883, p. 104. 



122 



