26 STORY OF THE AMPHIBIANS 



Color Changes 



To return to color as a protection, many amphib- 

 ians have the ability to change their colors at loill 

 to suit the surrounding — to dress for the emergency. 

 The common tree-toads all have it, and some terres- 

 trial frogs also. 



One of our little tree-toads is nearly solid green 

 above, sometimes slightly spotted, but it is rare. The 

 only specimen the author ever saw was on a green 

 leaf, and the toad was solid green with no spots 

 noticeable. 



At the season when amphibians desire a mate, 

 both sexes put on their brightest colors, and the males 

 are not so noticeably the more brilliant here as they 

 are in the birds and fishes. 



Other Ornaments 



We have noticed, under their respective heads, the 

 putting on of extra claws, webs, fins, and the enlarge- 

 ment of fingers and arms during the social time. In 

 this connection it is noticeable that many males, like 

 the birds, put special ornamentation and color on 

 these also. The English male newt or eft (Fig. 15) 

 has his vertical fin on the back much larger at this 

 time than is the female's ; and he has the edges of it 

 all beautifully scalloped, as are sometimes the edges 

 of collars, kerchiefs, etc., with the ladies. The end 

 of the tail is similarly scalloped. He seems to think 

 that his mate can appreciate beauty of form also. In 

 this fin there are no muscles to move it, and in later 



