FEBRUARY. 35 



life as the frog there may, I now think, be detected some 

 trace of individuality, though formerly I had grave doubts 

 upon this point. 



During a warm, drizzling rain, last October, while the 

 outer doors were open, a bright-red wood-frog hopped 

 upon the porch, then into the hall, and finally found its 

 way into the dining-room, where it was captured. Its 

 beauty proved fatal to its future liberty, and now for some 

 seven months this wandering wood-frog has been the pet 

 of a friend, and that it recognizes its master can not be 

 disputed. . When I took the frog to my friend it was wild 

 as a hawk, and struggled to escape whenever approached ; 

 but now it is submissive as the most sedate old house- 

 cat. To-day it came from its cozy, fern-clad home when 

 called, and evidently enjoyed having its back stroked. It 

 is ever ready to take a fly, spider, or Croton-bug from my 

 friend's hand, and shows in many ways that it has learned 

 much during its rose-colored captivity. While watching 

 the knowing ways of this one, I put the question : Can a 

 frog be taught as well as merely tamed ? and the reply 

 was an emphatic and unqualified affirmative, substantiated 

 by the exhibitions of intelligence on the part of this frog, 

 as mentioned. 



To fully realize how much an animal may know, as 

 judged by its actions, it is absolutely necessary to see the 

 creature. Mere words, lamely describing this or that act, 

 go for little. I am always in despair when I attempt such 

 description. It is so now. That wood-frog's countenance 

 was full of meaning. Every movement of the limbs, how- 

 ever slight, every turn of the head, and the short, impa- 

 tient leaps, all gave to those present impressions which it 

 is useless to attempt describing to others. The essence of 

 these impressions is, that the frog's brain was at the time 

 the seat of simple thought, as well as of muscular direc- 

 tion and half -automatic movement. And I am disposed 



