242 Pbofogmpby for the Sportsman Naturalist 



minable length of time for one to show his head, 

 only to have him in the end stick out the tip of his 

 beak and one claw sufficiently to shove himself 

 away from the camera and entirely out of range. 



The snapping and water turtles are much 

 better subjects, as they seem to be far less exclu- 

 sive than are their land 

 relatives. 



In this particular 

 branch are many ex- 

 cellent instances of 

 protective coloring 

 which make most in- 

 teresting photographs. 

 Of such are the 

 chameleons, the hylas 

 or tree-toads, and the 

 wood-frogs, all of which 

 resemble their natural 

 surroundings, often so closely as to make it diffi- 

 cult to distinguish them. 



There are many instances of this protective 

 coloring among the smaller wild things. It is one 

 of nature's many schemes for giving to her off- 

 spring a means of defence against their numerous 

 enemies, and truthful pictures, which are not al- 

 ways obtained by means of a pencil and brush, 

 of those creatures that affect the color, shape, or 

 markings of their surroundings are not only inter- 

 esting but valuable. 



Common Toad. 

 Showing protective coloration. 



