712 



AMPHIBIA — EANIDJE. 



they leave the water and^wander to some distance. They are among the 

 earliest to awaken from their winter sleep, having been observed in 

 March and April. 



*RaNA CATE8BYANA ShaW. 



Bull Frog. 



Sana cateshyana, Shaw, Allen, Cope, Jordan. 



Bana mugiens, Mkreem, Wagler, Tschddi, Dumeril and Bibron, Gunther. 



Bana plpiens, Hallowbll, Holbrook, Kirtland, Storbr, DeKat. 



Bana pipiens, et Bcapularis, Harlan. 



Color above greenish-brown, with darker irregular spots, 

 these blotches more conspicnous npon the legs and sides ; nndei 

 parts yellowish white, often mottled with black or brown ; legs 

 above of the same color as the body, but the darker blotches 

 often assume the form of transverse bars ; femur shorter than 

 the tibia ; tubercles at some of the joints of the fingers and toes ; 

 tympanum in adult large, eight to twelve millimeters in diame- 

 ter; nostrils half way between the eye and muzzle; pupils 

 black; irides green; vomerine teeth in two nearly circular 

 patches between the inner nares, the latter large and more 

 widely separated than the outer. Length, 7^ inches ; head to 

 axilla, 2i Inches; hind leg 9i inches; fore leg, 4 inches; 

 transverse diameter of head, 2J inches ; vertical diameter of 

 Fig. S.—Banacateslyana, head, IJ inches ; transverse diameter of body, 3 inches. 



montiropen!i°8howing«« Habitat, Canada, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsyl- 

 inner nares, teeth, and vania, Delaware, North Carolina, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, 

 tongue. Kansas, Ohio, Michigan. 



The Bull Frog, called also by the boys Cow Frog, is very common, not 

 only in the State, but,.also throughout its whole range. Its hoarse voice, 

 low bass notes, supposed by some to be its love songs or call of the male 

 toTh^CTQaielhave|been compared to the roaring of a bull, hence the 

 common name." B^They are aquatic animals, being found m ponds, 

 ditches, and pools, occasionally coming to land, but only passing to any 

 distance from the water in wet weather and at night. 



Prof. Rogers stateSjthat "jthe frog is very susceptible to the entice- 

 ments of motion." He has often caught them at the South by " agitating 

 a hook and line baited with red tape," at which they would bite and 

 entangle their teeth. Dr. Corse states that he has observed the spawn 

 of frogs to develop on the fourth day, and has also known Rana 

 catesbyana to pass a whole year in the tadpole State. 



The Bull Frog is the one more commonly eaten, though any of them 



• For anatomy of nervous system see Smithsonian Contributions, vol. 5. 



