♦ KNOWLEDGE 



[Sicrr. ir.. 1882. 



fnrnj the first week in May to July. The development of 

 the ess 's rapid, Wins; accomplished within forty-eight 

 hoursf When first hatchtnl, the tadpole is about a quarter 

 of an inch long, of a polo yellow colour, dotted with olive 

 on the head and sides of the l>ody. During the first week 

 the external gills are developed and resorbed. At the 

 same time the olive colour gradually increases and deepens 

 till it extends over the upper surface of tlie tadpole. A 

 tine dotting of gold colour also appeai-s on both upper and 

 under surfaces. In the water, however, they look black. 

 The holders, at first so prominent, disappear within ten 

 days. The head and body are short The tail is broad 

 and thick. The eyes are prominent, set widely apart, and 

 of a brilliant Jlame colour; the iris in some specimens is 

 quartered by dark lines. The lips are broad. The nostril 

 openings and two perpendicular lines on the muzzle, also a 

 line from before the eyes down each side to the tail, are 

 gold coloured. Transverse bars of the same tint on the 

 upper edge of the tail are sometimes seen. 



The taid poles are shy and quick in movement as young 

 fishes, mo\-ing through the water with the least perceptible 

 motion of the tail. They do not collect together, but 

 where there is room enough, each tadpole goes its own way 

 independently. They are hardy, and, probaV)ly owing in 

 some degree to their quick movements, arc more exempt 

 from mutilation Viy water enemies than other species, rarely 

 losing eyes or tail. 



When about three weeks old the hind legs are in sight 

 as small white buds in front of the base of the tail near 

 the lower edge on each side. An iridescence' of great 

 brilliancy is seen on the white surface of the abdomen and 

 sides of the body. The head and upper portion of the 

 body show a bluish, metallic sheen, and the tail, which is 

 more or less flecked with brown or black, becomes in some 

 specimens a bright red colour. It would be dillicult to 

 exaggerate the l>eauty of colouring of these tadpoles : it 

 exce<Mls in brilliancy and variety any species found in this 

 1 Kality. 



As the legs become more fully developed, the colouring 

 of the head and 1)ody tends from dark olive to a light, 

 greyish-green. In the seventh week the body begins to 

 lose its roundness, and the arms are seen to be moved 

 under the skin, as if the tadpole were impatient to get 

 them free. The head then appears disproportionately 

 large. At this stage the tadpoles vary from grey to pea- 

 green in colour. They are found in the shallow water near 

 the shore, where many fall prey to various aquatic birds. 

 During the eighth week they appear to take little food ; 

 the arms are thrown out, the tiiil is gradually resorbed, the 

 mouth developed, and the frogs leave the water. While a 

 few gpeciraens retain the colour of grey up to this time, 

 nearly all will )>e found of various shades of tender green 

 on the upper surfaces, bordered with diflerent tints of grey 

 or salmon colour. The abdomen is white. Green asserts 

 itself much earlier in some specimens than others ; but I 

 have never seen a tadp<jle of this species develope into tlie 

 frog that did not sooner or later become green. The 

 markings on the back also vary in time of appearance ; 

 but the colouring of black on the Iicaid, body, and limb.s, 

 the smooth, shiny patch below the eyes, the granulated 

 aj.fK^rance of the skin, and the yellow colouring in the 

 folds of the legs, usually apf>«ar in the order of their 

 ni'-ntion, and after the frogs have left the water. 



Last 8«ason a small [Kind in an open pasture, about 

 fifte*;n rods from a wood, furnished a good opportunity for 

 observing their movements on leaving the wat<;r. l>Vorn 

 the 10th to the 24th of July, numlj<T8 of the young frogs, 

 with tails in different 8t«ge» of resorjition, were found on 

 the ground, wet-ds, and grasses about the pond, which by 



this time had become reduced by evaporation to a shallow 

 pool. They represented a variety of shades of green ; ii 

 few were grey, and occasionally one was scarcely to be 

 separated in colour from the mud on which it rested. I 

 observed those on the ground frequently capture the small 

 spiders which were numerous there. As soon as they left 

 the water their object, e^■idl'ntly, was to reach the wood. 

 Apparently aware of tlieir danger in this exposed journey, 

 they drew attention to themselves, when approached, by 

 continually springing out of harm's way ; but after the 

 shrubbery was reached they rarely made any attempt to 

 escape when discovered, trusting wholly, like the mature 

 frogs, to their disguise of colouring for safety. I founil 



^.i!(fj)/l#i 





lUNCKLEY, BEVKLOPMENT OK IIYLA VERSICOLOR. 



several of them on a small apple-tree which was in the lino 

 of their journey. They were on the new growth which 

 was overrun with Aphides, and the frogs had a.ssumed a 

 deep emerald-green, so like the leaf that it was diflicult at 

 first glance to distinguish them from it. After they 

 reached the wood I could trace them no further. I think 

 it probable that some observers havomi-staken //. versicolor 

 at this age for the adults of another species of Hyla. 



My knowledge of the frogs from this stage till they 

 reach maturity is confined chiefly to those leared in a 

 fernery. For the first three months they retained the 

 green colour, as a rule, with occasional changes of tints of 

 brown and grey, matching the earth or branches to which 

 they cling. After that time shades of grey become the 

 rule and green the exception. The black markings on 

 the head, body, and limbs did not change, excepting to 



