204 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 



skin which is present on each side of the body in that species. 

 There is, in fact, no trace of this in the Bull Frog. A full-grown 

 specimen will measure 14^ inches from the tip of the snout to 

 the end of the outstretched limbs, and 6f inches when in a 

 sitting position. Such a specimen would weigh about one pound. 



Range: The eastern and central portions of the United 

 States and southern Canada. 



Local Distribution: General, but not so abundant as the 

 Pond Frog. 



The Bull Frog frequents larger bodies of water than the 

 common Pond Frog, being especially partial to large ponds and 

 slow-running rivers, where the banks are lined with overhanging 

 vegetation in which it can find concealment. The tadpoles 

 grow to a greater size than those of the Common Frog. They 

 may be distinguished by their distinctly yellowish abdomen. 

 During the hours of sunlight they have a habit of lying in shal- 

 lows around the borders of the pond, but upon the slightest dis- 

 turbance they scurry for deeper water with startling activity 

 and swim close to the bottom in order to leave a trail of muddy 

 water, agitated by the thrashing of their tails. This maneuver 

 tends to conceal their exact location. 



Bull Frogs, particularly young specimens, have a peculiar 

 habit of emitting a sharp cry when disturbed on the bank, and 

 instead of plunging directly into the water, they skim over the 

 surface for a short distance. The Common Frog, on the other 

 hand, when disturbed, jumps into the water and instantly dives 

 to the bottom, where, with a quick kicking of the hind limbs, 

 it stirs up a cloud of mud in which it can conceal itself. 



The Bull Frog is a most voracious creature. Mature speci- 

 mens do not hesitate to swallow any moving object of about 

 their own size that may come within reach of the wide gape of 

 their jaws. They are largely insectivorous, but birds and small 

 rodents are frequently eaten. Captive specimens experience no 

 diflfiiculty in swallowing sparrows or half -grown rats. 



The call of a Bull Frog differs from the ordinar}- " croak" of a 



Pond Frog. It is a deep, protracted bass, resembling the sound 



made by drawing a bow for half its length across the string of a 



bass-viol. The note is repeated four to six times. 



[50] 



