SOLITARY FROG. Scaphiopiis sotitarius. 



rejoicing in his freedom. The young soon burst their way through the envelopes in which 

 they had been surrounded, and swim off merrily. 



Except at such times, the Nurse Frog is seldom seen in the vicinity of water, and even 

 at that season, the creature does not care to sw T im about or even to enter the water. The 

 colour of this species is olive-brown with small dark spots. Several specimens, with their 

 eggs, may be seen in the collection of the British Museum. 



THE very odd-looking species which is popularly and appropriately termed the 

 SOLITAEY FKOG is a native of North America, and is remarkable for several peculiarities 

 of form, the eye and the foot being chiefly notable. 



It is a land-loving species, never seen in or near water except during the breeding 

 season. During the greater part of the year it resides in holes which it SCOODS in the 

 sandy soil, and at the bottom of which it sits watching for prey, much like a gigantic ant- 

 lion. In order to assist it in digging, the animal is furnished with a flat, sharp-edged spur, 

 with which it scoops out the loose soil. Sometimes, however, it wedges itself into the sand, 

 tail foremost, and shovels its way downwards much after the fashion of the crab. The hole 

 is about six inches in depth. 



Quick though it is in this labour, it is but a sluggish and inactive creature when com- 

 pared with most of its kin, being a very poor leaper, and slow in most of its movements. 

 It is generally to be seen in the month of March, just after the spring rains, and is a very 

 hardy species, caring little for cold, and traversing the snow without apparent inconvenience. 



The eye of the Solitary Frog is very beautiful, and at the same time most remarkable. 

 It is large, full, and of a rich topaz hue, and across its centre run two bold black lines at right 

 angles to each other, so as to form a crocs very like that which is seen upon starch grains 

 when viewed by polarized light. 



Altogether, the aspect of this species is very unique. It looks much more like a toad 

 than a frog, and has a remarkably blunt snout. Its general colour is olive, mottled with 

 brown above, and covered with tubercles. Along each side of the spine runs, a line of 

 "king's yellow," and the under parts are yellowish white. The average length of the 

 Solitary Frog rather exceeds two inches. 



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