THE GREEN TREE-FROG. 



165 



Tree-Frog of Europe, now so familiar from its frequent introduction into fern-cases and 

 terrestrial vivaria. 



This pretty creature is mostly found upon trees, clinging either to their branches or leaves, 

 and being generally in the habit of attaching itself to the under side of the leaves, which it 

 resembles so strongly in color, that it is almost invisible even when its situation is pointed 

 out. When kept in a fern-case, it is fond of ascending the perpendicular glass sides, and 

 there sticking firmly and motionless, its legs drawn closely to the body, and its abdomen 

 flattened against the glass. 



The food of the Tree-Frog consists almost entirely of insects, worms, and similar creatures, 

 which are captured as they pass near the leaf whereto their green foe is adhering. It is 

 seldom seen on the ground except during the breeding season, when it seeks the water, 

 and there deposits its eggs much in the same manner as the common Frog. The tadpole 

 is hatched rather late in the season, and does not attain its perfect form until two full months 

 have elapsed. Like the Toad, the Tree-Frog swallows its skin after tlie change. The common 

 Tree-Frog is wonderfully tenacious of life, suffering the severest wounds without seeming to be 

 much distressed, and having even been frozen quite stiff in a mass of ice without perishing. 



The following interesting account of a young Tree-Pi'og is by Mr. G. S. UUathorne :- 



" My acquaintance with this interesting reptile (which had already passed through all the 

 stages of the tadpole state) began in the following manner : — 



"I was at school in Hanover at the time, and used fi'equently to take walks in the neigli- 

 boring woods, with a companion. During one of these walks we came across three Green 

 Frogs (or rather they came across our path). Guessing at once they wei-e Tree-Frogs, and 

 thinking that they wei'e just the things to keep, we were 'down upon them,' and tied them 

 up in our handkerchiefs. I contented myself with one, and let my companion have the others. 

 When I arrived safely at my journey's end with my Frog, I procured for him a good-sized 

 glass jar, put a little water in the bottom, a branched stick for him to climb up (though he 

 generally preferred the sides of the glass), covered the top of the jar with a piece of muslin, 

 and installed him on a shelf with a salamander {Salamandra maculosa), a ring snake {Natrix 

 torquata), and various other ' pets.' 



" My great amusement was to watch the little creature eat. When T put a fly into his 

 jar, as long as the fly remained quiet, the Frog took no notice of it, but directly the fly began 



