948 The Mink or Hoosier Frog. { September, 
tone and key from that rarely heard on the open stream. The 
loud-throated bull-frog and his equally noisy congener, the 
marsh or green frog, I do not consider indulge in the “chant 
amour” during the heat of the summer, as nobody ever saw them 
in coitu, at least I never did, although I have carefully watched 
and made many inquiries, both from whites and Indians. But 
how this takes place, or when, I cannot personally state for a 
fact. 
The tadpoles of some Batrachia congregate in schools, as may 
be seen with the Bufo lentiginosus, Rana catesbiana, R. fontinalis, 
&c., but that of Rana septentrionalis is as solitary as the adult. 
The tadpole has the odor of the frog, though not so strong; 
there is a band down the side, but it is not raised above the skin, a 
being flat and a yellowish-green color, and disappears after the 
absorption of the tail. The-beautiful soft hazel of the iris is there, 
and when looked at in sunlight the same mild expression of the 
face exhibits both innocence and repose. A 
There are certain peculiarities in the life-history and in exter- 
nal forms of these three Ranæ which so thoroughly agree that 
they may be separated into a group by themselves. These I shall 
endeavor to point out as concisely as possible: 
1. They have no “chant amour,” or love notes, in spring. 
the first autumnal 
2. They retire early to hibernate with 
frosts. 
3. They live in the water and lie in wait for thei 
not hunt for it on land. They poise the body on any 
weeds, lie on the bank or any bit of stick or log that su 
purpose, ee 
4. The tadpoles of R. catesbiana and R. fontinalis require: 
years to mature, and the mink frog requires the same period. 
5. Adults in all three have no lateral fold, but merely he 
raising of the skin from the angle of the mouth, and which Asi 
minates or shades off on the shoulder. : of the 
6. The foot is broader in proportion than in the sesh ON 
family, and the second toe is proportionally shorter, # 
liarity emphatically distinct, and can be seen ata glance b. 
one who takes the trouble of even a cursory obser? ; 
Webbed to extremities. . quite 
7. When captured they sometimes utter a cry of distress t 
and I have 
r food, but do- 
floating 
its their 
different from their ordinary croaking notes, 
