mSECTS. 159 



There is a very pretty species of " hyla," or tree-frog, 

 in Japan. Being of a beautiful green colour when 

 mature, they are then difficult to distinguish from the 

 leaves they walk about on. Alder shrubs appear their 

 favourite locality. Their delicate feet are fitted with 

 little cushions at the end of their toes, which form a 

 kind of sucker. They can squeeze the air out of these 

 cushions, and then, by the pressure of the atmosphere, 

 they adhere firmly to a leaf in any position, just as our 

 house-fly walks on a window or ceiling. Although when 

 mature they are green, when young they are brown, 

 and at this time are carried about on their mothers' 

 backs. I never heard this tree-frog give any note; 

 possibly it does, but if so, it is at night. There is one 

 very large species of toad, a lazy great awkward feUow, 

 which lives in the rushes surrounding swamps. 



I am unaware if there is more than one species of 

 salamander in Nipon ; the one I know of is found in 

 the lakes in Kiusiu, and grows to a large size, being 

 frequently three or four feet in length. Of ancient 

 animals I can say nothing. An elephant's tooth was 

 dug out of the thick clay at Yokoska, when the site 

 for the dockyard at that place was being excavated. 

 It is the only instance of the kind I know of. 



