40 



THE AMERICAN NATURALIST 



[Vol. XLII 



chorus, the assurance evidenced by the single voice is 

 extremely contagious. This fact makes it possible to 

 overcome some of the difficulties which ordinarily present 

 themselves in collecting this species. One has but to 

 place the first captures in a bag or other close receptacle 

 and carry it on one's person. The prisoners chirp up 

 and sing as boldly as though undisturbed in their natural' 

 haunt. Their voices elicit an almost immediate response 

 from those in the pond. Indeed, at such a time, with 

 a little practise one can wade about, while they sing on 

 all sides and dip up as many as one desires. 



Tn tli is way after spending several hours in capturing 

 the first two, 30 specimens, 25 males and 5 females, were 

 taken in less than an hour. These were isolated for the 

 purpose of studying the egg-laying process. On the way 

 from Buffalo to Ithaca (April 1, 1907), they were kept in 

 the same box, but the sexes in separate compartments. Dur- 

 ing the transit, the males chirped considerably and the 

 females deposited 200 or 300 eggs without attendant males. 



The Embrace.— The usual Hyla type of embrace ob- 

 tains, the forearms of the male being pressed into the 

 axillae of the female. The males at the height of the 

 breeding period evince an ardor almost as eager as that 

 of the common toad. Sometimes, they embrace each other 

 and as many as 4 or 5 males have been found in one bunch. 



A peculiar embrace recorded June 16, 1907, may serve 

 to illustrate how long this nuptial impulse may remain 

 with the male. April 1, 1907, about 30 Hyla piekeringii, 

 1 female, 29 males, and 5 male Chorophilus triseriatus 

 were placed in one jar. Between April 1 and June 16, 

 these swamp cricket frogs ate nothing, yet, after 2^ 

 months', and, evidently long past the breeding time, an 

 emaciated male Chorophilus triseriatus mated with the 

 single female Hyla piekeringii. The embrace was axil- 

 lary, but sometimes, possibly due to weakened condition, 

 the male partially lost his hold. Then, his arms slipped 

 along on the sides of the body of the female until he came 

 to the lumbar embrace, the arms touching each other on 

 the ventral side. The male disliking this embrace sought 



