02 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Description of the tree frog. 



posed it to be a bull hidden in the bushes at 

 a little distance. The voice was indeed more 

 hoarse than that of a bull, yet it was much too 

 loud for him to conceive that it could be emitted 

 by so small an animal as a frog, and he was 

 in considerable alarm for his safety. He was 

 undeceived a few hours afterwards, by a party 

 of Swedes, to whom he had communicated his 

 fears. 



A few years ago some of this species were 

 brought alive into this country. They remain in 

 a torpid state under the mud during winter, and 

 in spring commence their bellowings. 



The tree frog, which is a native of America, 

 France, Germany, Italy, and many other Euro- 

 pean regions, but never found in Britain, is 

 small, and of a slender and very elegant shape. 

 Its upper parts are green, and the abdomen is 

 whitish, marked by numerous granules. The 

 under surface of the limbs are reddish, and on 

 each side of the body there is a longitudinal 

 blackish or violet-colored streak. The body is, 

 smooth above, and the hind legs are very long 

 and slender. At the end of each toe is a round, 

 fleshy, concave apparatus, not unlike the mouth 

 of a leech, by means of which the animal is 

 enabled to adhere even to the most polished sur- 

 faces. 



This animal during the summer months resides 

 principally on the upper branches of the trees, 

 where it wanders among the foliage in quest of 



