transformation in early July. Development to sexual maturity takes one year.

During the breeding season, the male wood Frog can be distinguished from the female by the presence of convex hind toes webbing rather than the concave webbing bulge of the females. This convex shape changes to concave after the breeding season. After the breeding season, the Wood Frogs usually disperse to their woodland habitats.

THE GREEN FROG

As might be guessed from the name, the Green Frog is a member of the green frog colour grouping of the true frogs. Contrary to the implication from its name, the back colour can actually range from the more common green to yellow or nearly black. This species may have irregular back spotting which is normally indistinct but they lack the prominent light line which runs along the upper jaw edge to the front leg insertion point which is present in both ther brown and spotted colour groupings of the true frogs. Its back legs may be barred at right angles to the leg length or may be mottled or spotted.

This species ranges in size up to 4 inches (10.2 cm.). The mature males can be distinguished from the females by the presence of bright yellow throats and an eardrum diameter (tympanum) which is greater than that of the eye diameter. In the breeding areas which consist of ditches, ponds, lakes, and stillwater areas of rivers, the males are territorial and defend their area with calls and, when necessary, wrestling matches.

The Green Frog usually lives either in or within its jumping distance of standing water throughout its life. Porter and Fowler (1975) note that this species breeds when air temperatures have reached 650 F. and that up to 5,000 eggs, 1/16 of an inch in diameter (0.16 cm.) are laid in a number of films located at the surface of the water and up to 1 foot (30 cm.) across. The eggs hatch in three to five days and, over time, produce a tadpole which is moderately spotted or mottled above and is white or creamy below. When the tadpole reaches a size of about 1 1/3 inches (3.2 cm.), it transforms to the adult stage. This frog can live up to ten years and Porter and Fowler (1975) state that it starts breeding upon reaching a length of 3 inches (7.6 cm.).

The Green Frog’s call is described as a distinctive "twang" or "tchung" and has been likened to the plucking of a loose banjo string. These frogs are sometimes exploited for their "frog legs" for domestic use or for use as laboratory specimens.

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NORTHERN LEOPARD FROG

The Northern Leopard Frog is a member of the boldly spotted colour group of the true frogs. This species and the Pickeral Frog both have bold regular spots arranged evenly over the back and sides. In the Northern Leopard Frog the spots are round or oval in shape with distinct light boundaries. The adjacent spots may run together in this species and some individuals may display small black dots between the larger spots.

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