OVERTON : LONG ISLAND FROGS AND TOADS. 2;, 
The performers among frogs and toads are males, and their sounds 
are serenade notes as they call to their mates. Perhaps thev tr>' to outdo 
one another, for when one starts to sing, the rest of those in the marsh 
often join in and submerge his voice in a nois\- hubbub. The time to 
become acquainted with frogs and toads is during the breeding season. 
At that time all the adult frogs and toads within half a mile of a marsh 
congregate in the water, and betray their presence with their voices. 
\'oc.\L SACS. The chorus from a marsh may readily be heard over 
half a mile on a still night. This is due to the fact that each batrachian 
performer either distends the underside of its throat into a balloon, or 
else it puffs out pouches in its checks and neck, and thus forms a sound- 
box which magnifies the sound. An animal about to sing swells its bod\- 
full with a deep breath, and then forces the air into its throat pouch 
with a violent contraction of all the muscles of its chest and abdomen. It 
sings with a closed mouth, and can make its sound under water as well 
as above it. 
Inkluence of TE.aiperature. PVogs and toads are sensitive to the 
temperature of the air. The first .singers in the spring will begin while 
ice is -Still left in shady parts of their jiools, provided the temperature of 
the air is warm. If the temperature of the air drops below 60° F., onh' a 
few will sing. If the temi^erature is below 50° F., the marshes will be 
practically silent. 
Songs outside of the breeding season. The breeding season 
for common toads is usually over by the middle of May, but numbers 
may be heard singing in the jiools at Patchogue, L. I., up to the middle 
of August. These are belated males, calling in vain for mates who do 
not ajijiear. 
On Jul\" 21, 19 1 2, the first hard rain fell after many weeks of 
drought, and filled an excavation on a high hill at Middle Island, aljout 
a quarter of a mile from a pond. The pool was about 25 feet in diameter, 
and occupied a site that was formerly used as a drinking jilace for cattle, 
but it had been absolutely dr\- for several seasons. On the e\-ening on 
which the pool formed, numbers of frogs entered it and sang. The sounds 
were so loud and so unusual in that locality, that they disturbed the 
sleepers in a nearb\- house. As nearly as could be determined from the 
description given by an intelligent school teacher who heard them, the 
.sounds belonged either to green frogs or to leopard frogs. On the t\vent\- 
eighth the exca\'ation was nearl\- dr\-, and in the mud there were o\-er a 
