16 FAMILIAR LIFE IN FIELD AND FOREST. 



individual. Intervals of about four seconds and a 

 half occur with indifferent regularity. One can not 

 quite depend on the tree toad for synchronous 

 effect ; it is a sort of go-as-you-please musical con- 

 versation which he keeps up, very often confused 

 by two or three speaking at the same time ; but the 

 winning httle voices are pleasing and entertaining, 

 and the " word " that is passed around is reassuring. 



There are rarely more than three or four of these 

 frogs congregated in one spot, and it may often be 

 quite a distance to the next assembly. The voices 

 are strung along in the dusk of evening somewhat 

 thus : 



n Z^' '^° lt^,v»icl; 2nd.. ■jri. 4-rfl. 



By the time No. 4 begins No. 1 breaks in again, 

 and we have a duet ; then comes No. 2 alone ; 

 then No. 3 accompanied by No. i ; and presently, in 

 the irregularity of the succession, we have a trio. 

 Imagine a few tiny lambs bleating thus : " Tur-r-r-r-t, 

 Tre-t-t-t-t," and the simile is as complete as I can 

 make it. Later in the season these voices come from 

 the hedges and the orchards ; the frogs have left their 

 aquatic retreats. A Mr. Geismar, who kept several 

 in his vivarium, has recorded a remarkable instance 

 of their domestication. Both window and vivarium 



