Title: Aquatic life
Identifier: aquaticlife219161917baus (find matches)
Year: 1916-1917 (1910s)
Authors: Bausman, Joseph E
Subjects: Aquariums; Fish culture
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. E. Bausman
Contributing Library: Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Ernst Mayr Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Ernst Mayr Library

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THE SPRING PEEPER RICHARD DECKERT
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The Voice of the Peeper comes from Brook and Pond Margin Spring in the country, as pictured by most of us, means robins, bluebirds, blackbirds and pussy willows. One little messenger of spring, however, remains a mystery, although heard before the cheerful feathered songsters, and often before the willows show their gleaming silvery catkins. This is a tiny creature of the tree-toad family, known under the scientific name of H\la pickeringii, and commonly called "Spring Peeper." Sometimes in icy February, after sev- eral days of thawing, followed by a heavy, warm rain, his song is heard. It comes from brook and pond-margin, from meadows inundated by melting ice and snow, and from dark woodland pools. It is the shrill, penetrating note, heard every spring all over the Eastern United States and Southern Canada. The first singers tune up in early afternoon, but the full chorus does not perform until about sundown. As we approach the pond, one after another of the "Peepers" drops out until, when we have reached the water's edge, the song ceases entirely. After a few minutes of quiet waiting, there comes a faint "peep, peep" from across the pond, answered by another one nearer, and so on until the chorus has again assumed its ear-splitting fullness. Try and isolate the nearest one from the rest. As you bend down in search among the grass and debris in the icy water, he ceases his song. Great patience is necessary in order to capture the Peeper. He sings from con- cealment only, and may be entirely under water among a clump of grass or moss, only his nose and eyes protruding. Upon the slightest disturbance he will slowly draw back and creep way down among the roots. The writer has often captured Peepers by whistling in imitation of their calls, locating one particular voice and,

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