142 EDGE OF THE JUNGLE 



were arranged nearly in altitudinal size — two 

 large tadpoles being close below Guinevere, and 

 a bevy of six tiny chaps lowest down. All were 

 lightly poised, swaying in mid-water, at a gently 

 sloping angle, like some unheard-of, orange- 

 stained, aquatic autumn foliage. 



For two weeks Guinevere remained almost as 

 I have described her, gaining slightly in size, but 

 with little alteration of color or pattern. Then 

 came the time of the great change: we felt it to 

 be imminent before any outward signs indicated 

 its approach. And for four more days there was 

 no hint except the sudden growth of the hind 

 legs. From tiny dangling appendages with mi- 

 nute toes and indefinite knees, they enlarged and 

 bent, and became miniature but perfect frog's 

 limbs. 



She had now reached a length of two inches, 

 and her delicate colors and waving fins made her 

 daily more marvelous. The strange thing about 

 the hind limbs was that, although so large and 

 perfect, they were quite useless. They could not 

 even be unflexed ; and other mere polly wogs near 

 by were wriggling toes, calves, and thighs while 

 yet these were but imperfect buds. When she 

 dived suddenly, the toes occasionally moved a 



