344 
AMEEICAIT AGEIOULTUEIST. 
[August, 
suppose that the old hen pecks at the shell at the 
right time and lets them out, but this is not so, the 
shell is always broken from within. As the chick 
is doubled up as it grows, the bill is always next to 
the shell, just where it is needed to break the way 
out to light and air. It is said that there is a hard, 
horny scale on the bill, to assist in breaking the 
shell, which falls away soon after the chick is 
hatched, but I did not think to look for it. Some 
of the chicks appear to exhaust their strength with 
the first pecking, and afterwards are not able to 
liberate themselves, and unless they are helped 
they will soon die. When first out of the shell, 
they are wretched looking objects, their down 
being wet, they seem to be half naked, and quite 
unlike the lively fluffy little fellows they are as soon 
as they get dry. I have often said that you need not 
look beyond your own farms to find wonderful and 
interesting objects. Can anything be more fuli 
of interest, or a greater wonder, than the. forma¬ 
tion of a living chick, with its many parts, its 
blood, bones, feathers and all, out of the almost 
liquid, and apparantly lifeless contents of the egg! 
Tree Toads, or Tree Frogs? 
One young correspondent wishes to know some¬ 
thing about tree toads, and if they are properly 
toads or frogs. If he means to ask if tliey are 
kinds of the common toads and frogs living in 
trees, I can answer, neither. The tree toads are as 
different from these, as they are unlike one another, 
though all belong in the same order, the Batra- 
chians. The creatures are called both tree-toads, 
and tree-frogs, though mo.st commonly by the for¬ 
mer name. Naturalists place the tree-toads in the 
genus Ilijla, the one found in the Northern States 
being H. versicolor, the ehangable-colored, while 
of the Southern States is IL viridis, the green tree- 
toad. Figure 1 i-epresents the first named, which 
shows- the character distinguishing these crea¬ 
tures from batlt'ioads and frogs — the little disks at 
the end of eaeh of its fingers and toes; these, some 
times calied suckers, are supplied with a sticky 
substance, which allows them to climb upon 
smooth surfaces of all kinds, even glass. The tree- 
toad has fine and prominent eyes ; tlie color of this 
Fig. 1.— A TREE TOAD. 
one varies from pale ash-color to dark-brown, and is 
marked with blotches of greenish-brown. It has 
the power of changing its colors to make them 
darker or lighter, but does not assume any different 
colors. Like the frogs and toads, the tree toad 
lays its eggs in the water, and in their younger days 
they are tadpoles, and during the winter they re¬ 
main dormant in the mnd of ponds, etc. Though 
quiet during the day, at the approach of evening, 
they are very active in pursuit of insects. The 
croak of the tree-toad is familiar to all who live in 
the country, even if they have never seen the ani¬ 
mal. It is heard especially at night, though the 
creature is not silent during the day. It is a com¬ 
mon belief that when their croaking is heard in the 
day time it is a sign of rain ; but careful observa¬ 
tions show that the creature croaks in the day time 
nearly every day, and though the sound must 
Fig. 2 .— A ELTING TREE FROG. 
sometimes be heard just before a rain, the two 
have no relation to one another. There is but one 
tree-toad in Europe, and this is so nearly like our 
Southern one, that naturalists at one time thought 
they were the same; it is found also in Asia and 
Africa. There is found in the Island of Borneo, a 
tree-frog so curious, that I give an engraving (fig. 
2,) of it. It has very long fingers and toss, which 
are webbed their whole length. By filling its body 
with air, and spreading its webbed extremities,, 
it can sail from the tops of the highest trees and 
descend in safety. Though called the Flying Tree- 
frog, it can no more fly than our- flying squirrel, 
which spreads the loose skin between its. fore and 
hind legs, to break the force of its fall. Both, like 
boys at coasting, find it fun to come down, but get¬ 
ting back to the starting point is not so jolly. At, 
least I did not used to And it so, and I don’t think 
coasting has changed, much in that respect since I 
was a boy. The Doctor. 
The Floral Wedding, 
My friend Mary Gold received, the other day, a 
letter from her dear John Quill, describing a wed¬ 
ding that was celebrated at the Greenhouse, when 
the Blue Bells were rung, and Trumpet Flowers 
sounded. Sweet William and Polly Anthus were 
the happy pair. The Greenhouse was beautifully 
adorned for the occasion with vines, and the Vir¬ 
gin’s Bowers were all perfumed with lavender and 
ambrosia, and box after box of bridal presents 
stood together in long rows. The hour appointed 
was four o’clock. Dan de-Lion was one of the ear¬ 
liest arrivals. He was much exhausted on the 
way, and had a wilted appearance. Old Leander 
and Mother Wort rode together, but when they 
were passing through Dog Wood, were upset, and 
the colt’s loot being lamed, they borrowed a sorrel 
horse. The Snapdragons and Thorns were not in¬ 
vited. Earl Sycamore was so sick that his physi¬ 
cian, Doctor Moss, would not allow him to go, and 
so he mustered strength to write, and let his regrets 
present themselves. The Snowdrops and Snow¬ 
balls had gone north on a summer visit to the lee- 
plants. At length the merry guests began to come 
in crowds, or flocks, and were received by Madam 
La Burnham, assisted by the lovely Amaryllis. 
There were Mr. and Mrs. Orange-blossom, and all 
their family, and a great many young ladies named 
Lily and Rose. All the De Luces were there, 
and a whole troop of Evening Beauties, to whom 
the Cockscombs displayed their knightly qualities. 
The most distinguished cavalier was Mr. G. Rani- 
um, who, as is well known, is the Lady’s Delight. 
Mayor Convolvulus paid his addresses to the wall¬ 
flowers, and a Ragged Robin was seen searching 
for little Cora Andre, who had gone away to play 
with Johnny Jump-up and his little sister Violet. 
There was a Mourning Bride, who sadly remarked 
that when love lies bleeding, no amount of penny 
royal could ever make up the loss. She wandered 
off into the garden among the yew's and cypresses, 
and finally sought the society of Weeping Willow*. 
The Primrose sisters came as dignified and unap¬ 
proachable as ever, and numerous Old Maid Pinks 
and Bachelor Buttons, looking as aged as century 
plants, were continually wishing the Balsams would 
arrive, and inwardly sighed for balm, while the 
dead leaves of their hopes were rustled by the pass¬ 
ing breeze. Lady Teasel and Baron von Tansy 
made themselves conspicuous by their bitter sar¬ 
casm, and the Thistles were so pointed in their re¬ 
marks that they were driven out with golden rods. 
The company became impatient because the Bri¬ 
dal Rose and her Sweet Sultan delayed to come un¬ 
til long past the time, and the joke went mirth¬ 
fully round as to why Jack-in-the-Pulpit in his 
clerical attire, did not put in his appearance, but 
Old Monk’s Hood had been engaged to perform 
the ceremony, so all were satisfied. 
At this crisis. Sweet William and Polly came into' 
the large company, followed by Jessie Mine, Rose' 
Mary, Heart’s Ease and Love-in-a-Mlst, for the' 
charming bridesmaids. The ushers were the Pas¬ 
sion Flowers. Nightshade had gathered around,, 
and the Star of Bethlehem shone pale in the light 
of the new moon, when Crown Imperial, under the 
linden tree, gave away the bride. After the cere¬ 
mony the salutations, were begun by the Tulips,, 
and sweet congratulations.were exchanged by all 
except Madam Mimosa, who, shrinking in her shiv¬ 
ering sensitive way, said. “ touchrme-not.” The 
dazzling- splendor of the- scene was magnificently 
reflected by the Venus’ Looking-Glasses. At the- 
ringing of Flora’s Bell, a supper was served. There 
were sweet peas and sugar leaves and honey dew in 
king’s cups, great dishes of pollen, and other deli¬ 
cious things, not omitting to mention.the juice of 
the Madeira Vine. The head waiters were Robin 
Runaway, Bouncing Bet and Running Rose.. 
Finally there was a grand dance to the merry 
music of the Canterbury Bell ringers, and they kept 
this up until the ladies’ slippers were worn out. 
At this point Venus’ Car appeared, gorgeously 
made of Southern wood, and decorated with ever¬ 
green, drawn by ponies named Horse-Chestnutr 
which the driver, to distinguish them, called Basil 
and Bay. As soon as the bridal party were in the 
car, and it began to roll away, that ancient and: 
honorable leather dealer, familiarly called Shoe- 
Mack, picked up the ladies’ slippers and some 
spearmint, and tossed them after the carriage, 
while some of the guests rushed on after the pranc¬ 
ing steeds, with speedwells and larkspurs, at which 
the sages retired, disgusted at so much levity. The 
driver, Michaelmas Daisy, who drank all the cur¬ 
rant wine he wanted, put on foxgloves, and away 
they flew to the docks. The bridal pair set sail on 
the barque Althaea, expecting to see, after their 
voyage, London Pride, German Ivy, Rose of Sharon, 
Indian Cress and China Aster. Mignonette. 
Illustrated Rebas. 
