602 



The Living Animals of the World 



surface of the body. In this sac the eggs laid by the female are deposited and pass through 

 their tadpole phases. 



The HORNED FROGS, or HORNED TOADS, of South America constitute a distinct and 

 interesting group. They are of large size, stout and rotund, gorgeously apparelled, and 

 truculent in bearing. There are nearly a dozen known species, the distinctive feature from 

 which they take their name having reference to the stiff, horn-like development of their 

 upper eyelids. The largest species is a native of Brazil, whose body may be as much as 

 8 inches long. This species has the horn-like processes of the eyelids most prominently 

 developed. A somewhat smaller but conspicuously handsome species, plentiful in the Argentine 

 Republic, is at the present time represented by several individuals at the Eegent's Park Gardens. 

 In this animal the body is relatively more obese and toad-like than in the Brazilian form, 

 but the horn-like angle of the upper eyelid is only slightly produced. The colours vary 

 somewhat, the general ground-tint of the upper-surface is bronze-green or yellow, upon which 

 are distributed large spots and blotches of dark olive or chocolate, having light yellow or 



golden margins. The spots on the limbs are 

 the widest, and almost take the character of 

 cross-bands. Bright claret-red lines are some- 

 times developed in and among the body-spots. 

 A very interesting account of the habits 

 of this frog appears in Mr. W. H. Hudson's 

 " The Naturalist in La Plata." Mr. Hudson 

 reports it as being common on the pampas 

 as far south as the Rio Colorado, in Patagonia. 

 In the breeding-season it congregates in pools, 

 and displays extraordinary vocal powers, which 

 are exercised at night. The notes uttered 

 are long, resembling those of a wind instru- 

 ment, and are so powerful that on still evenings 

 they may be heard distinctly a mile off. After 

 the pairing-season the frogs disperse, and, 

 retiring to moist places, bury themselves just 

 deep enough to leave their broad green backs 

 on a level with the surface. The eyes, under 

 these conditions, look out as from a couple 

 of watch-towers, and are on the qui vive for 

 any approaching prey. This consists of any 

 indigenous to southern Europe. moving creature which they can capture, such 



as other frogs and toads, birds, and small 



mammals. In very wet seasons they will frequent the neighbourhood of houses, and lie in 

 wait for chickens and ducklings, often capturing and attempting to swallow objects much too 

 large for them. In disposition they are exceedingly pugnacious, savagely biting at anything 

 that comes near them. When teased, the creature swells itself out to such an extent that one 

 expects to see it burst. It follows its tormentors about with slow, awkward leaps, its vast 

 mouth wide open, and uttering an incessant harsh croaking sound. When they bite, these 

 frogs hold on with the tenacity of a bull-dog, poisoning the blood of the creature seized with 

 their glandular secretion. Mr. Hudson records two instances in which to his knowledge horses 

 were killed through being bitten by a horned frog. One of them, while lying down, had been 

 seized by a fold in the skin near the belly ; the other had been grasped by the nose while 

 cropping grass. In both instances the vicious frog was found dead, with jaws tightly closed, 

 still hanging to the dead horse. " It would seem," Mr. Hudson remarks, " that they are 

 sometimes incapable of letting go at will, and, like honey-bees, destroy themselves in these 

 savage attacks." 



Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co.] 



[I'anton's Green. 



EUROPEAN GREEN TREE-FROG. 



