THE LICHENED TREE-TOAD. 



171 



It is a noisy creature, especially before rain, and has a curious liquid note, like the 

 letter / frequently repeated, and then ending with a sharp, short monosyllable. During 

 the breeding season, this Frog leaves the trees and retires to the pools, where it may 

 be heard late in the evening. In the winter it burrows beneath the damp soil, and there 

 remains until the spring. The contour of this species is very toad-like in shape and 

 general appearance, and this resemblance is increased by the skin glands, which secrete 

 a peculiarly acrid fluid. 



The upper surface of this creature is, as has already been remarked, too variable for 

 description. There is always, however, a little bright yellow on the flanks, and the 

 under surface is yellowish white, covered with large granulations. The length of this 

 species is about two inches. 



GREEN TREE-FROG.-//^/* arborea. 



CHANGEABLE TREE-TOAD. Hyla versicolor. 



In the POUCHED FROG we find a most singular example of structure, the female being 

 furnished with a pouch on her back, in which the eggs are placed when hatched, and 

 carried about for a considerable period. 



This pouch is clearly analogous to the living cradle of the marsupial animals. It is 

 not merely developed when wanted, as is the case with the cells on the back of the 

 Surinam Toad, but is permanent, and lined with skin like that of the back. The pouch 

 does not attain its full development until the creature is of mature age, and the male 

 does not possess it at all. When filled with eggs the pouch is much dilated, and ex- 

 tends over the whole back nearly as far as the back of the head. The opening is not 

 easily seen without careful examination, being very narrow, and hidden in folds of the 

 skin. 



Its color is very variable, but green has the predominance. It is found in Mexico, 

 but many specimens in the British Museum have been brought from the Andes of 

 Ecuador. 



A 



inhabits 

 island. 



VERY curious species, called the LICHENED TREE-TOAD (Trachydphalus lichendtus), 

 Dits Jamaica, and is described by Mr, Gosse in his " Naturalist's Sojourn " in that 



