FROGS AND TOADS 293 
into which it retires during the months of 
drought, rushing out into the hollows filled 
by the thunder-showers while the rain is still 
actually falling. Even during the long drought 
these frogs continue their croakings from their 
retreats at night, and are very misleading to 
travelers, who customarily associate their 
presence with the immediate neighbourhood of 
water. 
There is a remarkable difference in the 
voice-timbre of the various species of frogs. 
In England, with its one indigenous variety, 
comparisons cannot be instituted. In countries, 
however, like Austrailia, where numbers of species 
live in close proximity, the phenomenon is very 
marked. Some only give voice in the evening 
or night, while others keep up their clamour 
throughout the day; with some the note is 
metallic and almost bell-like, while one diurnal 
croaking species, which congregates in great Phots by Scholanic Photo, Co. 
numbers in the eastern Tasmanian coast district, ORNAMENTED HORNED TOAD 
emits a loud percussive note closely resembling ee eee eee 
that of a stone-breaker’s hammer. On several 
occasions, in fact, when driving through the areas these frogs frequented, the impression 
produced by their croaking was so realistic that the next turn in the road was expected to 
reveal the presence of a large gang of road-makers engaged in negotiating a wayside stone-heap. 
One of the most remarkable species is the FLYING-FROG of Java. The power of flight is 
simulated in this instance on a different principle to that which obtains in any other group. 
It is not accomplished through the medium of abnormally produced ribs with connecting 
membrane, as occurs in the Flying-lizards; nor by means of a flap of skin stretched between 
the fore and hind limbs, as in the Flying-squirrels and Phalangers. In place of these the toes 
of all four feet are abnormally prolonged, and their interspaces bridged over to their tips by 
webbing. The body of this frog is about 4 inches long, while the webs of the feet, when fully 
expanded, cover collectively an area of fully 12 square inches; they thus constitute aerial floats, 
which enable their owner to make prodigiouslv long flying leaps among the trees in which it 
takes up its abode. The colours of this singular 
species are striking; the back and limbs are a 
deep shining green, the under-surface and inner 
toes yellow, and the webs black rayed with yellow. 
In common with the typical Tree-frogs, the toes 
of this Javan flying variety all terminate in a 
dilated adhesive disk. 
Among the oddities of the Frog Tribe 
prominence may be given to the singular SHORT- 
HEADED FROGS of East Africa. In these the head 
is so short, and the body, when puffed out, so 
nearly globular, that they have been aptly 
described as more nearly resembling india-rubber 
Besser Bea i : : ez 
Phos by 0, ©. Bande, LE: balls than frogs. Another notable form, inhabiting 
ORNAMENTED HORNED TOAD Chili, is remarkable for the circumstance that 
the throat-sac of the male is so enlarged and 
and ducklings modified as to form a chamber on the under 
Is accustomed to prowl round farmyards to pick up stray chicks 
