THE BATRACHIA OF NORTH AMERICA. 



375 



with yellow and brown, even covering the whole inner face of the tibia, 

 and the light interspaces more or less angular, while in the Smilisca 

 haucUnii and the southern and western specimens of H. versicolor the 

 amount of marbling is less, and the interspaces are often reduced to small 

 circular spots. I have, however, been unable to characterize them as 

 more than a variety, to which I have given the name ot R. v. chryso- 

 scelis.* 



A single specimen of a strongly marked variety of this species was 

 sent to the National Museum from Mount Carmel, III., by Lucien M. Tur- 

 ner (No. 12074). It is smaller, having the average dimensions of R. fem- 

 oralis. The color is a dark brown, with three rows of large approximated 

 darker brown spots. The groin and concealed faces of the thigh are 

 yellowish-brown, with a very scanty speckling of darker brown, very 

 different from the usual coarse netted pattern. At first sight one sus- 

 pects this to be a specimen of Ryla femoralis, but it possesses all the 

 essential characters of the integument and feet of the R. versicolor, as 

 pointed out in the analytical table of the genus, including also the light 

 spot under the eye. It may be called R. v. phceocrypta. 



Fig. 95. Hijla versicolor. No. 14551. Eochester, N. T. ; J. 



Measurcmenis of No. 363(3. m. 



Leugth of head and body - . 036 



Length of head, including tympana 016 



Width of head, including tympana 0213 



Length of fore leg from axilla 034 



Length of hind leg from groin 0813 



Length oftibia 026 



Length of tarsus 0155 



Length of rest of hind foot - 0245 



The Ryla versicolor is " the tree frog," par excellence, of the eastern 

 and northern United States. It is common, and in some places abun- 

 dant. Its voice is a loud, coarse, resonant trill, uttered with a uniform 

 pitch, and continued for two or tbroe seconds. It is heard about bodies 

 of water in the spring, when the sexes are depositing and fertilizing 

 the eggs. Later in the season it proceeds from fences, hedgerows, and 

 orchards, as well as from the forest, often at no great elevation above 

 the ground. They are especially noisy towards evening after a rain; 

 but they may be heard at any time during dark and drizzly days. They 

 are susceptible of some domestication. Mr. Jacob Geismar tells me 

 * Bulletin U. S. National Museum, No. 20, 1830, p. 2?., 



