182 NATURE’S CRAFTSMEN 
around small obstructions, with the result that 
the strands of eggs are festooned like a huge 
irregular spider web. In a short time, the eggs 
hatch into queer little tadpoles with a large fin- 
bordered tail, and a sort of temporary mouth by 
which they cling to weeds and water plants when 
at rest. For the first few days they feed upon 
the minute algee 1 which coat the bottom of the 
pond and float on the surface; later they devour 
animal substances. For this reason, tadpoles are 
the best possible scavengers, Tommy, and you 
will do well to find some for your aquarium. 
They are easily located in shallow water near the 
shore, as they hide there among the water plants 
to screen themselves from the hungry turtles and 
fishes that are especially fond of tadpole dinners. 
You may not be able to distinguish the toad tad¬ 
poles from their kindred the frog tadpoles. But 
that won’t matter in the least; you will have the 
added pleasure of watching the development of 
both. 
“ At a certain stage, the toad tadpoles will set¬ 
tle their identity. For by the latter part of June, 
the legs will suddenly develop, the finny swim¬ 
ming organ will disappear, and the young toads 
will leave the water never to return save for a 
brief period in the mating season. They are the 
veriest babies, however, when they first go abroad, 
1 Tiny chlorophyll-bearing plants. 
