Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1884-07-26


one time they are frozen into n solid
mass, Mt another they are pelted with
heavy rain, apparently without 70.
ceiving the least injury. The same
pool which has perhaps remained froz
en- for considerable time. long
enough, we should have thought, To
destroy cffectua lily the living princl.
Pile OF the spawn, 10 yet, on the re.
turn OF summer, swarming with tad.
poles, or frogs In the tlrst stage OF
their existence. No other vertebrat.
ed animals save those OF this family
are found To leave their eggs unpro.
tected and exposed TO tho action Of
the weather, nor arc any other ani.
mails possessed like them Of what
may be termed u double life. In tho
case Of tho common frog II IL per
haps more correct To say, that IL has
two lives In nuecession but In that
OF some others of this family. where
the breathing processes are retained
In 10th kinds. 1, q. where tho animal
Ia qualified to pass at pleasure its
whole life In the water, or It's whole
life In the air the creature Ia distinct
from AL others, and merits the term
dniphtbious To It's fullest extent. In.
deed this term is not strictly true In
It's application To any other animals
than tho several species Of frogs re.
ferred to.
Most Of our readers must bo well
acquainted with the form Of tho tad.
pole. The disproportionate size OF
the head, and the length OF tho tail,
In this little creature, gives II very
curious appearance. The head In
furnished with jaws or mandibles,
which are employed In nibbling ami
mai or vegetable matters. These
mandibles are furnished with ok.
tremely minute teeth, with which
they may be even heard TO gnaw tho
edges Of the leaves on which they
feed. The tadpole IL also furnished
with small kind OF tubular sucker
beneath the lower Jaw, by means OF
which II hangs 1T pleasure TO the un.
der surface Of aquatic plants, &c.
The vast numbers OF these crca
lures brought out by the warmth Of
u July sun might seem at first sight
unnecessary and unaccountablo, but
there is reason 10 belief that tad.
poles perform an important part In
purifying ponds and bitches, where
they abound, from such substances.
animal IA we'll as vegetable,as would
otherwise accumulate, become putrid
and corrupt the atmosphere In the
Vicinity. While they are thus act.
ing their part In the economy OF M.
ture, their own numbers become re-
duced 10 the necessary limits by the
attacks Of different Aquatic birds
frequentipg the ponds and marshes,
dabbling In the shallow pools, AMI
gaining part of their Subsistence
from tho small fish and tadpolcs that
abound there.
When the appointed time arrives
for tho change OF the tadpoIe from
being n breather OF water 10 becom.
ing breather Of air, the new mem.
bers which u requires are gradually
added, and the old ones shed or ab.
sorbed. At this time tadpoIcs may
be seen with feet partially develop
ed. while yet the swimming tail nd.
heres, and thus the imperfect ami.
NAL has "A strange and ambiguous
appearance, partaklng Of the form OF
the frog and lizard. This tail, how.
ever, soon begins 10 decrease at first
gradual. and ut length so rapidly m
to become quite obIitcrated In day
or two.
At the age Of Eve or six years, the
frog may be said TO have attained its
full size, and 10 Ia supposed 10 lives at
least twelve or fifteen years.
These harmless creatures subsist
on insects, Iarv@, &c, and therefore
are beneficial in gardens. For the
reader obtaining Of their prey, the
structure Of the tongue in these ami.
mails Ia extremely well calculated be
ing 40 situated that the root Ia Mt
tached 10 the fore rather than the
hind part OF the mouth, and, when
AT rest, lies backward, as IN the AMI.
NAL was swallowing tho tip. Bythis
means, the creature Ia enabled 10
thrfsu ~ ant IN e1sn. HfatM..a sazs..