56 FROG-SHOWERS. 



lation of the blood can be well exhibited by means 

 of a microscope, if a tadpole be laid on the stage so 

 as to bring its tail within the focus, care being taken 

 to keep that member well wetted. 



At the time when the tail is laid aside, the young 

 frog is very small, and in this state is generally 

 found to swarm immediately after rain. The frog- 

 showers, of which we so often hear, are probably 

 occasioned, not by the actual descent of frogs from 

 the clouds, but from the genial influence of the 

 moisture on the young frogs who have already been 

 hatched and developed, and who have been biding 

 their time before they dared to venture abroad. 



Still I would not venture to say that frogs have 

 not descended in the rain, for there are several accre- 

 dited accounts of fish-showers, both being probably 

 caused in the same way. 



For a drawing of the Tadpole, see page 85. 



It is not often that frogs are found far from water, 

 for they are the thirstiest of beings, and drink with 

 every pore of their body. If, for example, a wrinkled 

 and emaciated frog is placed in confinement, and 

 plentifully supplied with water, it absorbs the grate- 

 ful moisture like a sponge, and plumps up in a won- 

 derfully short time. 



From the same cause, it parts with its moisture 

 with equal rapidity ; and if a dead frog be laid in the 

 open air on a dry day it speedily shrinks up, and be- 

 comes hard as horn. The skin and lungs co-operate 



