1912] Taylor: Birds and Reptiles of Northern Nevada. 345 



hopping. Upon being captured they often object with mono- 

 syllabic croaks, and if held in the hand never fail to emit a 

 quantity of fluid from the cloaca. 



In every ease in which the toads are killed by the use of 

 chloroform it is found that the poisonous white secretion is 

 exuded from the glands of the skin, and stands out all over the 

 animal in the form of small drops. 



Toads were caught in tall grass and soft mud near Wheeler 

 Creek (Quinn River Crossing), in a ditch at Leonard Creek 

 Ranch, and both in and near the stream at Big Creek Ranch. 

 None were seen more than fifteen feet from running water. 



On June 9 a pair were observed copulating in the stream at 

 Big Creek. Tadpoles, supposedly of this species, were observed 

 in large numbers at Quinn River Crossing on May 24, and were 

 seen also at Leonard Creek Ranch on August 7. 



Scaphiopus hammondi Baird 

 Western Spadefoot 



Distribution. — Three specimens taken, two at Quinn River 

 Crossing (4100 feet), and one at Big Creek Ranch (4350 feet). 



The species has previously been recorded from scattered locali- 

 ties in the Great Basin; for example, Olancha and Owens Lake, 

 California; Salt Lake City, Utah; Fort Walla Walla, Wash- 

 ington ; and Pyramid Lake, Nevada. Consequently its discovery 

 in the northern part of the state was to be expected. 



Habits. — Without doubt the spadefoot would have eluded our 

 utmost vigilance had we not been at work during its breeding 

 season. 



The first specimen (no. 1568) was taken on May 30. It was 

 slowly walking and hopping over damp ground near thick swamp 

 grass. On June 4 a second Scaphiopus (no. 1567) was secured. 

 Attention was attracted to it by a rustling sound as it moved 

 through a tussock of wild hay in a meadow. The last specimen 

 (no. 1566) was caught June 21 in a mouse trap set in grass 

 beneath willows near a stream at Big Creek Ranch. 



A large number of young Salientia which were assumed to 

 belong to this species were collected on June 7 in the shallow 

 water of a marshy meadow at Quinn River Crossing. They were 



