88 POND LIFE 



believe that the one-day-old tadpole, a creature more fish-like 

 than frog-like, should turn into the stately and dignified Rana 

 temporaria. 



During March and June, depending on the weather, frogs 

 congregate at suitable ponds, often in hundreds. They come 

 from all ways, sometimes travelling several miles. All the paths 

 and ruts leading to the meeting-place are alive with frogs, 

 wandering slowly towards their destination. And the pond, 

 which but yesterday contained only a few frogs, has now a 

 teeming population, even the banks being covered. We will 

 notice the male, which often seems ridiculously small, fastened 

 upon the female, holding her under the arms. When once 

 settled he has no wish to leave go, and seems to lose the power 

 of liberating himself, even if he so wishes. For accidents do 

 happen. In one case a pair so united fell a distance of four 

 feet, and even that experience made no difference to the male, 

 who remained calmly where he was. In the pond the female 

 swims to and fro, carrying with her her inactive mate, who 

 occasionally varies the monotony of the proceedings by uttering 

 croaks. The eggs, which are fertilised by the female after they 

 have left her body, are laid in a continuous string. Each egg 



ub- 



is about j^th of an inch in diameter, and is covered by a su 

 stance that by absorbing water swells to form the well-known 



jelly. 



No sooner have the eggs been fertilised than they show signs 

 of life. In fact, the alterations in the embryo during the first 

 few hours are remarkable. The owner of a microscope, if in- 

 terested in embryology, may watch the changes taking place 

 hour by hour. 



Six or seven days later the young tadpoles are no longer 

 round but oval in shape, and very gradually, as time goes on, 

 the oval becomes indented to form a head, body, and tail. 

 Then two pairs of minute external gills, the eyes, a large ear, 

 and a peculiar sucker beneath the head, makes an appearance. 

 The embryo is now becoming tadpole-like, and is nearing the 

 day when it will enter the world to start a life "on its own." The 

 young tadpole now shows signs of active life ; it no longer rests 

 in the egg motionless, but moves occasionally. For a few more 

 days it remains within its gelatinous sphere, becoming longer 

 in shape and more active in disposition, until the day comes 

 when it forces its way through the surrounding case, and 

 escapes into the world. 



At first the young tadpoles, having no mouth, are unable to 

 eat, but live on the remains of the yolk, as a chicken does for 

 the first twenty-four hours after hatching. Two days later the 



