34 FAMILIAR LIFE IN FIELD AND FOREST. 



finds its way among the ferny hollows of the hillside 

 forest. This frog is susceptible to the color of his 

 surroundings, and changes from the tan color of a 

 dead leaf to the green of a living one with consider- 

 able ease. In general his color is tan brown, and 

 his characteristic mark is a blackish patch extend- 

 ing from behind the eye to a point just over the 

 shoulder. Often his back will be strong buffish gray, 

 with a tinging of brown on either side. There are 

 three or four transverse dark bands across the thighs, 

 and a few scattered black spots will be found on the 

 sides. 



The nose of this species is rather pointed, and the 

 limbs are long and slender, with the hind feet weU 

 webbed. The frog is therefore a good swimmer; 

 but as a leaper he holds the record. When one 

 spies a dull brown, slender-legged frog among the 

 leaves around a woodland spring, or even in the re- 

 cesses of the forest where there is no water near, and 

 this frog takes a flying leap, disappearing entirely — 

 perhaps landing somewhere in the next county — one 

 may be pretty sure that it is none other than Rana 

 sylvatica. 



In early April we may hear the spasmodic 



and hoarse ■ ^ ^. . . . i croak of the wood frog 

 near the 



'"J .-Jr.' I 



pond, to which he resorts 

 in the short breeding season ; but in the summer he 



