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each day found one or more of the terrarium inhabitants missing. 

 One of the caterpillars disappeared and a cocoon made of its own 

 hair was found in its place ; several chrysalides were found on the 

 top of the terrarium ; the butterflies and the grasshoppers, one by 

 one, went into tliat sleep from which there is no awakening 

 and a number of the other creatures disappeared. The children 

 finally concluded that the latter had gone to sleep in the ground. 

 The grasshoppers and the tree-toads were the last to take their rest, 

 but just before they answered Mother Nature's call to slumber, a 

 large garden toad came to bear them company. 



He was a very interesting toad for he bore signs of having lived 

 through what must have been almost a tragedy. He had lost the 

 lower half of one front leg and had the scar of a long gash on his 

 throat. These disfigurements did not cause him the least unhappi- 

 ness for he had a very bright wide-awake expression and was as 

 plump and complacent as a toad should be. The loss of his leg 

 caused him a little inconvenience for he sometimes lost his balance 

 when hopping and fell on his back. He occasionally found it diffi- 

 cult to right himself at once but a few vigorous kicks and jumps 

 generally placed him right side up. Three days after he became 

 a member of the terrarium community, he, too, heard Mother 

 Nature's call to bed, and partially buried himself. Each day he 

 covered himself more completely until finally only the top of his 

 head and two sleepy eyes were to be seen. One day, about a week 

 afterward, he disappeared entirely. He proved to be a very rest- 

 less sleeper, and frequently showed himself during the sunniest 

 parts of nearly every day all winter, occasionally coming entirely 

 out of his earthy covering. He served as a sort of barometer all 

 winter, appearing and disappearing according to bright or gloomy 

 weather. He never, however, left the spot he had chosen for his bed. 



" AVinter is the night of the year," and the little terrarium world 

 indoors exemplifies it as truly as the great fields of Nature's domain 

 out of doors. The soil is dry and hard in this miniature world and the 

 verdure has dried down to palest green and brown. In its earthy 

 bed, the caterpillars, beetles, and pther creatures, lie cosily asleep, 

 and with the masses of tiny eggs, await the vivifying touch of spring. 



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