A Turn-Coat of the Woods 



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crotch, where he can rest his back, like other 

 folks. 



Lurking in such a place, he becomes an ogre 

 to minute creeping and flying bugs of all sorts, 

 who never notice his gray or green coat until 

 out darts a spoon-like tongue, and they are 

 caught and dragged into his stomach. The 

 little ones feed especially on the destructive 

 plant-lice (aphides), and thus do a service of 

 great and particular value to the owners of 

 orchards, and recommend themselves as most 

 excellent assistants to be kept in a conservatory 

 or hothouse. 



The instrument with which Mr. Tree-toad 

 catches insect food is his tongue, and it is an 

 extraordinary one of its kind. It is almost as 

 round as a ball a regular lump of a tongue 

 is not attached at the hinder end and capable 

 of being stretched out forward, but beneath its 

 front end, so that it is rolled over and its hinder 

 end is thrown out of the mouth, something as a 

 boy throws a return-ball attached to a rubber 

 cord. It is coated with sticky saliva, and so 

 any small object it hits adheres to it and is 



