56 REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS. 



those posterior " elbows," until only his head, or even the 

 nostrils were visible, and very difficult to distinguish. Here he 

 would remain sometimes for several days ; not to catch slugs and 

 wood-lice, and declining what were offered ; and as he after- 

 wards reappeared in brilliant colouring, I fancy these seasons of 

 retirement were previous to a change of garment. His manner of 

 doffing his coat I was never fortunate enough to witness, and can 

 therefore say nothing about it, but his manner of taking food 

 calls for a word or two. It is usually affirmed that frogs catch 

 their food by means of their tongue, as toads and chameleons do, 

 but this was a very exceptional proceeding with my frogs. The 

 little ones, without a single exception, jumped after and caught 

 their food ; and Froggin, with a trifle less energy, picked up his 

 prey in the same manner. 



Only twice, and then as a sort of emergency, if a fly or a spider 

 were escaping, did I ever see the tongue used as a prehensile 

 organ ; and as no one fed him but myself, and he seemed to 

 depend on me for all he ate, I had ample opportunity of watching 

 him. The toad, on the contrary, used only his tongue, and 

 surprised me at the distance he threw it out, quite two inches. 

 In form both tongues are alike ; pink, clean, and notched, and 

 with that obnoxious bodkin both could be extended their own 

 length ; less than one inch, the tongue of the toad must, therefore, 

 be extensile to be thrown out so far. But the eccentricities of 

 Bufo must be reserved for their place. Another noticeable 

 item in Froggin's feeding was that he did not always take good 

 aim when springing at anything, sometimes making several 

 dashes before he caught it, sometimes giving it up altogether. 



An especial dainty — a spider, for instance — he leaped up to 

 catch on the wall, often jumping high to do so. Nothing in the 

 way of insects came amiss, and the most energetic dashes were 

 made at green caterpillars. One large fat caterpillar was almost 

 too much for him, but he got it down ; and then followed the 

 usual demonstration of uplifted head and blinking eyelids. 

 Only moving creatures attract them or are aimed at. If a slug or 

 worm remain still they cease to regard it, then the slightest 

 movement re-arouses attention, and with head bent down they 

 study it, until convinced that it is indeed something alive, when 

 with a quick dash it is gone. 



Should they get anything unpleasant into their mouths, as a 

 too-gritty worm, they eject it, and then sit with their mouth open 

 and their tongue out for some minutes, looking very foolish, and 

 using their fingers also to brush their lips. On one occasion a 

 little frog was trying to snatch its lesser brother's worm, when 



