THE 
AMERICAN NATURALIST. 
VoL. xvit.— VOVEMBER, 1884.—No. 11. 
RECENT STUDIES OF THE SPADE-FOOT TOAD. 
BY CHARLES C. ABBOTT, M.D. 
P a sink-hole in a dry upland field near Trenton, New Jersey, 
on April 10, 1884, there suddenly appeared a large colony of 
hermit spade-foot toads (Scaphiopus holbrooki), which, by their 
remarkable cries, attracted the attention of every one passing by : 
So unlike the cries of any other of our batrachians were their 
utterances, that all who heard them were attracted to the spot, 
and wondered, when they saw the animals, that so great a vol- 
ume of sound could issue from so small an animal. On pan 
not wonder, however, on this point if they will but examine the 
development of the 
animal’s vocal cords. 
The machinery for 
Producing sounds 
equal to an ordinary 
steam whistle are ap- 
parently contained in 
the throat of this rare 
and curious batrach- ¿ 
tan. * Holbrook, in his 
diagnosis of the genus 
“caphiopus, refers to i " 
e “sub-gular vocal ee ea 
sac ” of the males : but it must not be inferred that the oe 
are voiceless. That they are not so noisy is ese ge 
sion requirin g, they can readily make themselves moet a sates 
€ spade-foots remained in the shallow waters O 
VOL. Xv111.—no. XI 68 
