HOUSE AND GARDEN 
May 
1914 
mmaM 
' «jr§§ 
Wfw 
& 
Kb Z.AJE8&- 
&/ dp 
' lliP 
ibmL. v 
2§g| a 
SgSp : 
PsSKll t*T y 
5 g| 
Clinging to the tree in what looks like an impossible situation for a toad you will find Hyla Versicolor, 
a gray toad. He is difficult to be distinguished from the bark, but his noise will lead you to him 
must be close to a favorable pool — stagnant 
and shallow water — to distinguish a break in 
the new sound, which is the plaintive, wailing 
trill of the common toad. This is the last of 
the amphibians to venture forth. Soon the 
ponds are teeming with gnome-like creatures 
that in make-up suggest a big, round head pro¬ 
pelled by a long, flat tail. These are the tad¬ 
poles, or pollywogs, of the tree toads, the com¬ 
mon and the spadefoot (subterraneous) toad 
and the various species of frogs that inhabit 
our respective neighborhoods. 
The tadpoles feed upon aquatic plant life, 
and sooner or later, according to the species 
they represent, grow very tiny hind legs. Once 
these appear the legs rapidly increase in size 
until they vigorously kick out into swimming 
motions. Suddenly a front leg bursts through 
the skin of the side, under which it has been 
growing. This is followed by the other fore¬ 
limb, and now the tadpole is in trouble. Its 
mouth is changing in form, and it cannot feed. 
But nature at once remedies this trouble. The 
long tail is absorbed into the body as nourish¬ 
ment. While the tadpole rests upon leaves of 
water plants close to the surface, the mouth 
From the staring-eyed, spotted tadpole to the development of the beautiful leopard frog is 
a great transformation. The changes which take place are characteristic of all toads 
and frogs 
between the reptiles and the fishes, they begin life under 
water and transform to creatures of the air. If there 
were space to explain it could be shown that this double 
method of existence shows the evolution from the hideous, 
almost jelly-like amphibians of millions of years ago to the 
comparatively rare, cold-blooded life of the present. A 
final word about Pickering’s Tree Toad should be in praise 
of the big voice of this little toad. In proportion to his 
weight he is the star noise-producer among wild life in this 
country. 
Early spring is fickle, and the opening chorus of the 
pygmy tree toad, the first messenger of warm weather, may 
be brought to an abrupt close by savage winds that send 
the “peepers” squirming back into the mud where they 
have passed the winter's sleep or hibernation. Again the 
weather breaks warm and mellow and the piping chorus 
comes with greater vigor. With it come other sounds from 
pools in the soggy woods; these waters get chilled by mar¬ 
ginal sheet-ice and melting snow. The new sounds form a 
continuous low chattering and rasping, and denote the 
awakening of the wood frog and the leopard frog, but of 
the frogs we will speak later; we must first get acquainted 
with the toads. 
Spring is well advanced and the treacherous “cold waves” are 
about gone, when a harsh and prolonged chatter, quite startling in 
its volume, resounds occasionally from the same pools where the 
“peepers” are yet singing. The winter sleep of the Gray Tree 
Toad has ended and its eggs are laid about the time the miniature 
“pollywogs” of Pickering’s Hyla are commencing to hatch. This 
species is from one and a half to two inches long. Like all tree 
toads, its toes are expanded into adhesive pads, or suckers, en¬ 
abling it to run up a smooth surface with 
the agility of a fly. 
With mid-April the amphibian cborus is 
in full swing. Tbe deep “Klung” of the 
green frog has joined in, and if we listen 
attentively a new and continuous accom¬ 
paniment imparts a singularly weird tone. 
It appears to come from all sides, and one 
grows wider and the tail becomes shorter, until it is a mere stump. 
For the first time in its life the fish-like animal yearns for a breath 
of air. It pokes the snout out of the water, and half chokes in the 
effort, but rapidly learns to really breathe. Then it hops out on 
the bank. Its tail has disappeared and it is hungry. A midge, 
with lace-like wings, is dancing on a pebble, and the little toad, or 
frog, not really knowing how, jumps at it. The snout misses the 
fly by a fraction of an inch, and the insect starts to rise — when a 
strange thing happens; across the space between the snout of the 
infant and its prey flashes a sticky tongue, which instantly trans¬ 
ports the food back to the mouth. Thus are toads and frogs 
emancipated to a new life. 
The life of the common garden toad is far more complex than 
we would imagine from a mere glance at the warty little creature 
as it hops on its way. Like all its immediate relatives, it lays the 
eggs under water in long, jelly-like strings. Here is an impor- 
