30 Mark S. Davis and George W. Folkerts 



to be in northeastern Georgia, approximately 160 km northeast of the 

 Alabama locality. The collection of additional specimens south of Mt. 

 Cheaha and the paucity of information on Alabama populations pro- 

 vided the impetus for the present study. Our attention focused on fea- 

 tures of the frog's life history, for a cohesive study of this type (espe- 

 cially in the southern part of the range) was lacking. Furthermore, the 

 biology of any organism at the terminus of its range may provide 

 insights into the adaptive significance of geographic variation in life his- 

 tory parameters. 



MATERIALS AND METHODS 



Considerable effort was devoted to locating potential breeding 

 ponds and breeding populations. Searching was confined chiefly to the 

 Blue Ridge physiographic province and the upper sections of the Pied- 

 mont Plateau. 



Wood frogs were collected by hand in breeding ponds and on 

 highways during warm rains. Temperatures of water, air, or both were 

 taken with a field thermometer at the time of collection. Most speci- 

 mens were killed in 20% chloretone, then positioned and fixed in 10% 

 formalin for at least 72 hours. Formalin was injected into the body cav- 

 ity to preserve food and reproductive organs. Individuals were later 

 transferred to 70% ethanol for permanent storage in the Auburn Uni- 

 versity Vertebrate Museum. 



The stomach and intestine of each frog were removed, slit longitud- 

 inally, and the contents washed into a culture dish. All food items were 

 examined under a dissecting microscope and identified to the lowest 

 possible taxon. The volume of food items was not determined. Ovaries 

 or ovisacs were removed and their percentages of total body weight cal- 

 culated. Ovarian or ovisacal eggs were counted, if present, and then 

 stored in 70% ethanol. 



Snout-vent lengths (SVL) were determined by measuring from the 

 tip of the snout to the posterior edge of the urostyle. Tibiofibula lengths 

 (TFL) were taken by measuring the maximum length of the tibiofibula 

 when the shank was completely flexed upon the thigh (Martof and 

 Humphries 1959), and ratios of TFL to SVL were calculated. Snout 

 length, defined as the distance from the anterior edge of the eye to the 

 nostril, and snout height, taken as the straight-line distance from the 

 nostril to the edge of the upper lip (Ruibal 1957), were also measured. 

 All measurements were made with dial calipers to the nearest 0.1 mm 

 after specimens had been kept in alcohol for at least 3 weeks. 



Information on reproduction was obtained primarily from field 

 studies. Notes were made on calls of males, egg deposition, clutch size, 



