

Frogs and Toads 



owing to the nature of the soil, rapidly become filled in, 

 so that no trace of the toad can be seen. In the day-time 

 one might walk over ground literally riddled with the 

 burrows of these toads without being aware of their 

 presence. Should a toad be caught, however, he will 

 utter a piercing little shriek and cover one's hand with 

 a slimy substance smelling strongly of garlic, a proceeding 

 which has earned this creature the name of garlic toad 

 in some places. 



Certain South American frogs construct little mud 

 nests in the neighbourhood of ponds, in which they may 

 deposit their eggs. These structures, which vary in size 

 from that of a tea-cup to a foot or so in diameter, are in 

 reality little mud-lined ponds cut off from the main water 

 supply, to afford better protection for the eggs. 



More ingenious is the nest of the Brazilian tree-frog, 

 known as the smith, on account of its vocal powers, and 

 we cannot do better than describe its activities in the 

 words of Dr Goeldi, its discoverer. " The smith," he says, 

 " is common in the neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro, more 

 frequently still in the mountain regions of the Serra dos 

 Orgaos than in the hot lowland, its voice is one of the 

 most characteristic sounds to be heard in tropical South 

 America. Fancy the noise of a mallet slowly and regu- 

 larly beaten upon a copper plate, and you will have a 

 pretty good idea of the concert, given generally by several 

 individuals at the same time, and with slight variations 

 in tone and intensity. When you approach the spot 

 where the tree-frog sits, the sound ceases. But keep 

 quiet and it will be resumed after a few moments. You 

 will discover the frog on a grass stem, on a leaf of a low 

 bush or in the mud. Seize it quickly, for it is a most 

 wonderful jumper, and it will utter a loud and shrill, most 

 startling cry, somewhat similar to that of a wounded 

 cat." 



Of its tadpole nurseries Dr Goeldi writes : " We soon 

 saw a mass of mud rising to the surface carried by a tree- 



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