TOADS AND FROGS. 65 



A Critical Period. — The transformational period is the 

 critical one for batrachian life. Your pupils may well be proud 

 of the achievement of carrying some of the specimens safely 

 through it. The following way is worth trying : Transfer 

 one (or a few) to a gem-jar kept on its side and having a wire 

 netting disc in its screw-cap. Put water and some small 

 stones with vegetable growth on them in the jar ; introduce a 

 few house-flies : in short, maintain the conditions suited to both 

 tadpole and frog until you see it capture a fly. From that 

 time supply it with insect diet. 



The Sacredness of Life. — After taking out the few individuals 

 that you will try to carry through the metamorphosis send the 

 rest of the stock to the nearest pond or ditch to teach the 

 children a lesson on regard for life. It may be probable that 

 none, of the tadpoles thus returned will attain to froghood. 

 Then why, it may be asked, take the trouble to carry them to 

 the ditch 1 A fundamental principle of Nature Study teaching 

 is violated by using an animal so long as it serves one's purpose 

 and then leaving it to perish with apparent unconcern. 



A Mixed Collection. — It will frequently happen that instead 

 of the gelatinous spawn the children will bring in the hatched 

 tadpoles. For the younger pupils the omission of the initial 

 stages is unimportant. You are liable in the case sup- 

 posed to get a mixed collection but that rather adds to the 

 interest and value of the study. Most kinds of tadpoles are 

 brownish ; those that are as black as ink are young toads. 

 The development of the latter is very rapid as compared with 

 that of the frog ; they will be ready to leave the water in two 

 or three months while one kind of frog — the American bulfrog 

 — is said to remain in the tadpole stage about two years. 



The Adult Toad. — Of all the batrachians the toad is or 

 should be the farmer's and gardener's special friend and 

 favorite. It has been advised by some writers that every 



