236 FROG-FARMING. 



ants' nests that are near the plane trees, it is not to be wondered 

 at that they should not have learnt how to obviate any special 

 difficulties that the storage of these achenes may present, apart 

 from those presented by other seeds. Now, in the case of most 

 seeds, it is far more convenient for the ants to collect them as 

 rapidly as possible, and then, having done this, to remove their 

 husks as time permits. When, for example, the nuts of the rose- 

 mary (Rosemarinus officinalis) are being harvested they are found 

 contained in the fallen calyx, and to strip the latter off at the 

 entrance of the nest would take a considerable time and cause as 

 much delay as their 7iof doing this causes with the plane fruits. 



It is a well-proved fact that while all insects, and most 

 especially the social Hymenoptera, possess a large degree of 

 hereditary instinct, which enables them to perform the ordinary 

 duties of their life with apparently extraordinary ingenuity ; they 

 nevertheless are very deficient in that reasoning power which would 

 enable them to adapt themselves to unusual circumstances. The 

 present observations would tend to confirm this theory, and show 

 us that even the experience of a considerable number of years 

 has not been sufficient to teach these interesting little creatures to 

 modify their methods of harvesting in order to meet a special 

 difficulty. 



Frog-Farming. — We learn from the Scientific American that a 

 frog-farming industry, promising profitable results, has sprung up 

 at iMenasha, Wis., U.S.A. It is already stocked with 2,000 

 females, which are ca[)able of producing from 600 to 1,000 eggs 

 at a time. The owner of the farm gives some interesting facts 

 relative to the frogs' habits which are not generally known. He 

 says :^— " In ninety-one days the eggs hatch. The thirty-ninth day 

 the little animals begin to have motion. In a few days they 

 assume the tadpole form. When ninety-two days old, two small 

 feet are seen beginning to sprout near the tail, and the head 

 appears to be separate from the body. In five days after this 

 they refuse vegetable food. Soon thereafter the animal assumes a 

 perfect form. Next spring 25,000, at 20 cents, per dozen, will be 

 my reward. Figure to yourself, says the enthusiastic frog farmer, 

 and see if there is any money in batrachia." 



