334 RAMBLES ABOUT HOME. 



In September their numbers greatly increase, and now 

 they spread over a wider range than they seemed to fre- 

 quent in April and May. Indeed, in the autumns of 1881 

 and 1882 I found very few in the meadows, but thousands 

 were in damp, upland nooks, as, for instance, about the 

 springs and particularly along a brook where the water 

 flowed rapidly over a pebbly bed. 



Early in October, 1881, I found a number of these 

 " peepers " in a little ravine, through which a brook 

 ripples riverward. I noticed at the time that these little 

 creatures had a decided aversion to the water. Neces- 

 sary as it was for them to keep their skins moist, they 

 had no desire to become thoroughly wet, and when by 

 chance they made an unlucky jump and settled in the 

 water, they straightway crawled out and took up a high 

 and dry position on some projecting stone. If in the 

 sunlight, so much the better. A bath seemed to chill 

 them, and whenever I drove one into the water, I 

 found that for several minutes after it emerged I could 

 pick it up without difficulty ; but in time it would regain 

 its ordinary activity, and then quick indeed must be the 

 movements of any one who would catch such an one with 

 the hand alone. 



It was at this time, too, that I gave close attention to 

 the subject of their color and its changeableness. 



While there are certain peculiarities of color that are 

 persistent and characteristic of the species, these, at times, 

 become of little prominence, so very great is the differ- 

 ence in the entire coloration of the animal. Furthermore, 

 they change their hues with great rapidity, and during 

 the course of a few moments will pass from an ashy 

 paleness or clay color to an intense black, with the light 

 dorsal stripe scarcely visible, or else either of a glowing 

 red or a brilliant metallic green. So very beautiful are 



