330 RAMBLES ABOUT HOME. 



however, they do not, I think, go far away, certainly not 

 so far that they can not find their way back. I have 

 long thought that they made one tree their home, and I 

 know, from observations extending over several sum- 

 mers, that the same tree-toad will spend the day, the 

 summer through, in the one spot on the tree. From 

 April to October, without a miss, except when making 

 the journey to the nearest water to lay eggs, I have 

 known a tree-toad, day after day, to stick to one and the 

 same spot, wherever it might travel through the night. 

 Of course, such regularity of habit must be coincident with 

 an abundant food-supply. Let this once become uncer- 

 tain, and, like sensible toads, they would quickly change 

 their quarters ; but any change of locality is probably 

 from necessity, not choice. 



I have never been able to find out whether this batra- 

 chian had any enemies. The snakes that climb trees, as 

 the black-snakes, do doubtless sometimes make a dinner 

 upon them ; but our climbing snakes are few, and hence 

 the inference, that they have less to fear than either the 

 frogs or toads, though they are by no means so numerous. 



There is yet another species of tree-toad, called Pick- 

 ering's hyla, which is found about here, though it is not 

 so common. Its place is taken by the little green and 

 brown batrachian called the cricket-frog, or u peeper." 

 This species is not a true tree-toad, or hyla, as there is a 

 little twist in its muscles and a wrinkle in the bones 

 which the other does not possess ; so, instead of rejoicing 

 in the pretty scientific name Hyla, we must call it Ily- 

 lodes, if we speak scientifically ; but to me the little fel- 

 low is always a " peeper." 



One of the cheeriest of the many early spring notes 

 is the clear, bell-like voice of this little animal. "We hear 

 it wherever we go, though we do not so often have the 



