FROGS AND TOADS. 533 



is a great favourite with the Brazilians; and as it is easily tamed, 

 young girls may often be seen carrying it about, winding it 

 round their throats or wrists, forming it into living necklaces 

 or bracelets. It lives in trees, among the green foliage, over 

 which it rapidly glides in search of insects — its usual food. 



FROGS AND TOADS. 



Frogs abound of all sizes, living in marshes, some on dry 

 ground, and others inhabitants of trees— many with voices 

 which resound loudly through the midnight air. Toaels, too, 

 are numerous, some of enormous size. They may be seen on 

 bare, sandy places — huge fellows, seven inches in length and 

 three in height — crawling over the ground, utterly indifferent 

 to the appearance of a stranger among them. 



Among the frogs is the curious tingeing frog (Hylaplesia 

 tinctoria), which is an inhabitant of the forest. It may be 

 seen during the day crawling along the branches, but at night 

 it takes up its abode under the loose bark. Except during the 

 breeding season, it seldom visits the water. It then, like the 

 rest of its species, goes there for the purpose of depositing its 

 eggs. It is generally of a dark colour — sometimes quite black 

 — with a white spot on the head and two white, lines running 

 along each side. 



It gains its name from the use the Indians are said to make 

 of it. They employ it as they do the parrot-fish, to give a 

 different colour to the plumage of their parrots. To do this 

 they pull out the feathers from the spots to which they wish 

 to impart a new tint, and then rub the blood of the frog into 

 the wounded skin. When the new feathers grow, they are said 

 to be of a bright yellow or vermilion hue. 



The bicoloured tree-frog (Phyllomedusa bicolour) is of con- 



