O. G. Dely szerk.: Vertebrata Hungarica 8/1-2. (Budapest, 1966)
Marián, M.: The herpetofauna of the Fehértó (Lake Fehér) near Kardoskut, Hungary 93-104. o.
even belatedly mating bombinators in an abandoned well. ) During the summer drought, the main shelters of the amphibian fauna are afforded by the deep cracks of the ground in the bottom of the lake and the coastal zone. They spend this dangerous period here in a sleep-like state (HEUSSER, 1961). However, as soon as the suboptimal environmental conditions tend to become better, owing to, for instance, the elevation of the ground water level, they immediately resume their activity. This was corroborated by my observation on 17 September, 1962. After two months of severe drought, the alkali flat was drenched In a deluge of rain. No frog was visible for days. After the storm, the bombinators appeared in a number of sites In spite of the late evening hours. If the drying out of the waters coincides with still the larval stage of the species,they vill inexorably perish. This holds especially for Bomb ina bomb in a , not selective with respect to the site of egg-laying and frequently depositing its clusters of eggs even in very shallow waters. These of course will soon evaporate and the eggs die. Difficulties of hibernation also contribute to the decrease of individual numbers. The shallow autumnal waters of the lake will freeze to its bootm in cold winters. Specimens which were unable to retreat to deep enough nrud layers will also freeze. Ditches, pits, abandoned wells with deep water again play an important role. Individual numbers are further decreased by indirect anthropogenous effects, exerted on the herpetofauna by the inhibitants of farms around the lake: the great number of domestic fowl constantly decimates the amphibian and reptile populations . The apparent technophily (HEUSSER, 1961), evolving in certain amphibian species,is also connected with the anthropogenous effects .Bombinators and lake-Inhabiting frogs namely use for ovipositing-sites broken vessels and other domestic implements thrown into the water as though they were
