1 882.] On the Habits of the "Savannah Cricket Frog!' 709 



much the better. A bath seemed to chill them, and whenever I 

 drove one into the water, I found that for several minutes after it 

 emerged I could pick it up without difficulty; but in time it 

 would regain its ordinary activity, and then quick indeed must 

 be one's movements who would catch them with the hand 



It was at this time, too, that I gave close attention to the sub- 

 ject of their color and its changeableness. 



While there are certain peculiarities of color that are persistent 

 and characteristic of the species, these become of little promi- 

 nence at times, so very great is the difference in the entire color- 

 ation of the animal. Furthermore, they change their hues with 

 great rapidity, and during the course of a few moments will pass . 

 from an ashy paleness or clay color, to an intense black, with the 

 light dorsal stripe scarcely visible, or else either a glowing red or 

 brilliant metallic green. So very beautiful are these changes, 

 and so different will any half dozen prove to be, that it is diffi- 

 cult to realize that the many before you are one and the same 

 species. Of a series of six which I have long kept in confine- 

 ment (October 20th to January 29th) in a bottle, one specimen 

 was taken from a ledge of pale yellow clay. The " peeper " was 

 of the same color, the post-orbital dark spot and light dorsal line 

 being scarcely discernible. The uniform yellow tint, however, 

 was relieved by minute round points of brilliant bronze. This 

 individual, unlike its companions, did not alter in color for sev- 

 eral weeks. The others were very changeable, and particularly 

 so when exposed to direct sun-light While I noted several 

 instances to the contrary, my impression is that usually the colors 

 pale in direct sun-light, and deepen when the animals are in deep 

 shade. This certainly is true of those I have in confinement, 

 and agrees with my experience in searching for them during the 

 past autumn. One fact with reference to the subject of their 

 color is not in accordance, perhaps, with the above, but should 

 not go unrecorded. The six individuals which I have in a bottle 

 will, at times, present very different tints, although all are sub- 

 jected to like surroundings. Of the six, two or three would be 

 very dark, the others pale yellow. With some the dark triangu- 

 lar spot between the eyes would be very distinct, in the case of 

 the others it could not be detected, even in outline. It must be 

 remembered, however, that these individuals were kept in most 



