ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



1467 



DOUBLE FISH TRAP 

 Made of cane. 



are also many kinds of crustaceans, both land 

 and marine, to be had at Turk Islands. It is 

 to be hoped that another effort can be made to 

 obtain fishes from this region. 



The accompanying photograph shows the 

 Turk Island cactus {Melocactus communis) , the 

 red crown or "cap" of which gives the island 

 its name. Another portrait shows a quantity 

 of conch shells (Strombus gigas), which is the 

 only article of export from the islands, aside 

 from salt which is shipped in great quantities. 



THE CARE OF SALAMANDERS AND 

 FROGS IN CAPTIVITY. 



By Ida M. Mellen. 



SALAMANDERS and frogs are included 

 among the animals classified as Amphib- 

 ians, — those leading a "double" life. They 

 are born in the water and pass through a gilled, 

 tadpole stage, later undergoing metamorphosis 

 and developing lungs for air breathing. The 

 majority live both on land and in the water, 

 but some forms adopt a land life, returning to 

 the water only during the breeding season, to 

 deposit their eggs. 



Salamanders are frequently confused with 

 lizards, because of a resemblance in the shape 

 of their bodies. The salamander is a smooth 

 skinned, air and water breathing animal — an 

 amphibian, while the lizard is a scaly reptile, 

 born on land, living in dry places, and never 

 supplied with gills. The care and feeding of 

 salamanders and frogs is one of the regular in- 

 quiries made at the Aquarium. 



They should be provided with aquaria or 

 tanks so arranged that they may pass in and 

 out of the water at will. This can be accom- 



plished by placing rocks, sand, gravel or moss 

 in one end of the recejjtacle. Large salaman- 

 ders, such as the hellbender {^Cryptohranchus 

 allegheniensis) , mud puppy {Necturus macula- 

 tus), and giant salamander {Megalohatrachus 

 japonicus), require running water, which for 

 these species need not be warmed in winter. 

 In fact, all thrive better in running water, 

 though the smaller varieties have been kept suc- 

 cessfully in still water changed daily in winter 

 and oftener in summer. Those that are fed live 

 food, can catch their prey better in shallow wa- 

 ter. The temperature of the water for frogs, 

 and for all the smaller salamanders except the 

 Shasta salamander {Chondrotus tenehrosiis) 

 should be maintained at from 68° to 75° Fahr. 

 For the Shasta salamander, accustomed to cold 

 mountain streams, the water should not be al- 

 lowed to rise above 72° Fahr. 



A limited number of frogs in the tadpole 

 stage, say two tadpoles to each gallon of water, 

 may be kept in balanced aquaria. 



Most salamanders, and all frogs, are canni- 

 bals, at least in captivity. To prevent loss of 

 stock, care should therefore be taken to place 

 together only those of approximately the same 

 size. 



Frogs in the tadpole stage eat water weeds 

 and grasses, and may also be fed minced meat, 

 liver and fish. Adult frogs devour almost any 

 live moving object which it is possible for them 

 to swallow, that comes within range of their 

 eversible tongues, — grasshoppers, snails, spid- 

 ers, crickets, worms, beetles, Crustacea (espe- 

 cially sow-bugs), and other frogs. The bull 

 frog (Rana catesbiana), in addition to all these 

 items, seeks larger fry, and besides preying ex- 

 tensively on his own kind, is said to find palat- 

 able small fishes, snakes, shrimjas and cray- 

 fishes, also yovmg turtles, field mice, young 

 ducks, and other small water birds. 



Various species of the frog have been kept 

 at the Aquarium, including the bull frog (Rana 

 catesbiana), salt marsh frog (Rana virescens), 

 pickerel frog {Rana palustrus), green frog 

 {Rana clamitans), and leopard frog (Rana pip- 

 iens). They have lived from six months to two 

 years on the following diet: Earthworms, meal 

 worms, grasshoppers, crickets, spiders, thou- 

 sand legged "worms," leaf hoppers, and beef 

 and liver cut in small strips to give the appear- 

 ance of earthworms. When they do not pick 

 up flesh so prepared, they can often be induced 

 to take it when dangled before them on a very 

 slim feeding stick. 



The natural food of all varieties of the sala- 

 mander consists, for the most part, of worms, 

 insects, spiders, crastacea (shrimps, crayfishes, 



