1925 J Storer: A Synopsis of the Amphibia of California 5 
then search was made in more distant localities for additional species. 
Trips were made to San Joaquin County in 1922, 1923, and 1924 
for data on Ambystoma calif brniense and Scaphiopus hammondii, to 
Mendocino County in 1922 for Dicamptodon ensatus, and in 1923 a 
trip through the southern half of the State was made to study the 
various species occurring there. 
With only a few species has it been possible to make the necessarily 
numerous visits to their spawning grounds to gather sufficient data 
for a satisfactory outline of the life-cycle. The conditions for study 
of these animals are very different in California from those obtaining 
in many places in the eastern states. Here, because of the arid nature 
of the country, the amphibians are usually quite local in occurrence 
and the investigator must hunt over large areas until thoroughly 
suitable locations are found. For example, at Berkeley, the nearest 
regular dependable spawning place for aquatic species was three 
miles distant, and only three species were to be found there. Other 
species required journeys of from 15 to 80 miles and it was seldom 
possible to plan field trips so that more than three species could be 
studied at one time. All of the specimens collected in connection 
with the studies of life-histories have been deposited in the Museum 
of Vertebrate Zoology. Where no authority is given for statements 
in the accompanying paper the author’s personal field notes form the 
basis. 
Acknowledgments 
It is a pleasure to acknowledge the assistance which has been 
afforded the writer in his efforts to obtain data on the amphibians 
inhabiting California. The persons mentioned below have made 
special field trips at the request of the writer to look in ‘ likely ’ places 
for eggs or larvae of species which were especially desired. Miss Una 
Boyle of Calpella, Mendocino County, has aided in obtaining life- 
history material of Dicamptodon ensatus ; Mr. Harry J. Snook of 
Stockton, Ambystoma calif brniense ; Mr. L. N. Crawford of Santa 
Maria, and Mr. H. D. Badger of Betteravia, Santa Barbara County, 
Scaphiopus hammondii; Mr. Philip N. Baxter of Stockton, Bufo b. 
halophilus; Miss Sarah R. Atsatt of Los Angeles, Hyla arenicolor ; 
Dr. P. E. Smith of Berkeley and Mr. Frank N. Bassett of Alameda, 
Bana b. boylii ; Dr. Loye II. Miller and Mr. Alden Miller of Los 
