354 BULLETIN 34, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



On eacli side of the back, and in the center of the space between the an- 

 terior and posterior bifurcations, is a very short line, generally parallel 

 in direction with the branches of the posterior fork. There is also a 

 V-shaped line connecting the eyes (the apex behind), and a short longi- 

 tudinal one above the snout. There is a narrow dark line from the snout 

 to the eye, and another dusky tympanal vitta fi^om the eye over the arm 

 along the sides ; this line is deepest on its npper edge, and more or less 

 obsolete on its lower j sometimes it is not distinct beyond the arm. The 

 edge of the jaws is mottled, leaving the ridge lighter abovej scarcely 

 distinct as a line. Sometimes a broad vitta may be said to pass from the 

 snout through eye and tympanum ; indistinct below. The legs above are 

 barred transversely in narrow lines, and the whole npper parts finely 

 sprinkled with dark i^oints. The posterior faces of the thighs are mar- 

 morated or blotched with yellowish, on a brown ground ; the anterior 

 faces are plain. The outer edge of the soles and heel is mottled brown. 

 The gular sac of the male is purplish-brown in the spring. 



The species varies considerably at times in the tint of the body, being 

 of all shades to reddish-brown. The marks on the back are sometimes 

 quite broad and coarse, instead of being narrow and more linear than in 

 other specimens. The gular sac is quite extensible and in spring is 

 brown. Sometimes the throat and breast are spotted with brown. 



S. piclceringii has more resemblance to IT. femoralis than to any other 

 species. This has the dorsal blotches, however, much coarser and never 

 arranged as above described ; nor are the peculiar circular light spots 

 on a brown ground on the posterior face of the thighs ever seen in H. 

 pidceringii. From young specimens of H. versicolor it may be distin- 

 guished by the narrow lines of the distinct dorsal cross and the slighter 

 web of the hind feet, with the absence of the light spot on the jaw, as 

 well as by the position of the vomerine teeth and the form of the muzzle. 



i 2 4 Q ^1 J, 



¥iG. 88. Hyla pickeringii. No. 3008. Boston, Mass.; f 



Measurements of No. 3609. 



M. 

 Length of head and body 028 



Length of head to posterior edge of tympana 009 



Width of head at posterior edge of tympana 010 



Length of anterior limb from axilla OIG 



Length of posterior limb from groin . 045 



Length of tibia 015 



Length of tarsus , , . , . 0085 



Length of rest of foot 013 



Sabits. — This, our most abundant eastern species, is much more gen- 

 erally known by its voice than appearance. After the rattling of the 

 Acris gryllus in the marshes and river banks in the lowlands is fairly 



