THE PAINTED FROG. 



161 



have swallowed a full-grown land-Frog (Cystignathus fuscus), belonging to the same 

 genus as our next example. The toes are long, powerful, and with hardly a vestige of 

 web except just at the base. 



THE little ORNATE LAND-FROG affords a remarkable contrast to the last-mentioned 

 species on account of its small dimensions, the activity of its movements, and the 

 beauty of its coloring. 



It is found in Georgia and South Carolina, and is always seen on land and dry 

 spots, its thirsty frame being amply supplied by the dews and casual rains without 



needing immersion in water. Indeed, this 



, ... . Frog is so little conversant with the ele- 



ment usually so familiar to all its tribe, 

 that if thrown into water, it makes no 

 attempt to swim, but lies helplessly sprawl- 

 ing on the surface. On land, however, it 

 displays wonderful activity, being of an 

 extremely lively nature, and making long 

 and bold leaps in rapid succession, so that 

 it is not to be captured without consider- 

 able difficulty. 



The color of this species is rather 

 variable, but is generally of a soft dove 

 tint, on which are placed several oblong 

 marks of deep rich brown edged with 

 golden-yellow. Below it is silvery white 

 granulated with gray. It is a very little 

 species, measuring only one inch and a 

 quarter when full-grown. 



ANOTHER species of this genus, the 

 SENEGAL LAND- FROG (Cystignathus Sene- 

 galensis), inhabits Southern Africa. 



It resides in burrows in the ground, 

 and is tolerably quiet, except before rain 

 or on a dull day, when it begins to pipe, 



and continues its curious cry for several hours together. The voice of this Frog is 

 a sharp piping whistle several times repeated. Dr. A. Smith relates that he was greatly 

 puzzled on hearing this strange whistling sound, and made many a fruitless search after 

 the utterer. At last one of the Hottentots showed him the animal in its burrow, and 

 after that time he was able to procure as many as were desired. 



The head and body of this species are short, puffy, and smooth, and the color is 

 yellowish gray, with three longitudinal bands. Below, it is yellowish white without any 

 mottlings. Its length is about two inches. 



THE pretty PAINTED FROG is a European species, being found in Greece, Sicily, and 

 Sardinia. It has a rather wide range of locality, as it is not uncommon in Northern 

 Africa, along the banks of the Nile, and is tolerably plentiful along the shores of the 

 Mediterranean. 



It is fond of water, but seems careless whether it be salt or fresh, and is found 

 indifferently in rivers, stream, lakes, and the saline morasses. The common esculent 

 Frog possesses similar habits, and the two species are often seen in company. The food 

 of the Painted Frog consists of insects, spiders, slugs, and snails, both terrestrial and 

 aquatic. There is a difference in the web of the toes in the sexes, those of the female 

 being scarcely webbed at all while in the male the membrane extends to half their 

 length. The thumb is quite rudimentary, and its place is indicated by a small tuber- 

 cular projection. 



The color and general aspect of the skin are extremely variable, the difference 

 u 



ORNATE L\ND'FROG.CystigaaOius oraatus. 



