Aquatic Amphibians 207 



faber), known as the r ' Ferreiro fj or 

 " Smith " from its voice which sounds 

 like a mallet beating upon a metal plate, 

 protects its offspring by building basin- 

 shaped receptacles of mud about a foot 

 in diameter on the borders of ponds. 

 The mud is scooped out by the mother 

 to a depth of four inches and with the 

 material thus removed she forms a 

 circular wall which emerges just above 

 the surface of the water. The larvae 

 are thus guarded from foes and are 

 liberated about a fortnight later when 

 the walls fall in. When this happens 

 they are old enough to be able to look 

 after themselves. 



The parents of a Japanese tree frog 

 (Rhacophorus) construct subterranean 

 chambers in the moist earth on the edge 

 of ponds. The building operation com- 

 pleted, the mother produces a secretion 

 which she beats up with her feet, thus 

 forming a frothy mass into which the 



