Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-02-22

Curious Story OF a Little Animal
Which Probably Lived Over co.


900 Years.
The daily press, says tho London En-
gineering, have recently devoted some
length to detailing the late history of an
old toad, who was only allowed TO live three
days after having been dug out OF cavity
wherein he had secluded himself for triiie
Of 10000 years or more, and how local
surgeon endeavoring TO improve on ma
ture shopping toenable him to take food, slit
the membranes by which his mouth was
closed, and the patient unfortunately had
not enough vitality TO survive the opera
ton" The theory has been discussed as TO
whether the toad would have continued to
live above ground had he been left in the
natural condition in which he was found.
The following is the authentic history OF
how such another reptile OF kindred
species was found, the length of whose re
tirement could only be measured by geol-
ogical period of time, and who was return
ed TO his long-past over-ground lie ana CON
dltion by natural means
In the Plenty valley, Victoria, some time
in the early ,0's, a road party were making
a deep cutting through some clay beds TO
improve local traffic facilities. The clay
bed was tertiary formations: II was hard
aud of q yellow color On the clay bank
gum trees, some hundreds OF years OLD,
were growing When about thirty feet be-
low the surface a block of this clay In fall
ing broke into two pieces, out of which
tumbled a frog, with body about "a
inches long an a inches wide. He seemed
blind and sleepy though showing every
evidence of life; he was apparently as
strong as any other frog of the same sizc
he was in no way thin; in fact, seemed to
be "a well nurturcd and properly cared-for
frog. The block Of clay was reduced IN
size and the frog with the two pieces which
formed the dwelling, was s2nt to the
J archaeological muse n, Melbourne. Mr
Newberry, the chief of that institution, eX
amincd him very closely and found that all
the natural nritces OF the body had closed
completelv-in fact, there was Of them not
"a trace rema ming. In color the frog was
dirty yellow, such as the clay, without any
variation of tngc.
Mr. NeWberry sent this creature for identi-
tication TO Frederick Mccoy. +. X. S, pro
lessor of natural sciences, Melbourne uni
versity. Prof Mccoy identified him as
member Of well known species whose
! habits were in times of trouble, such as
drought or cold, 10 bury themselves in the
earth and remain there until the condition
of things was more to their liking. Members
of the species mentioned, however. were
! yellow color notified with brown; after the
| identification the creature was again return
| ed TO Mr.. NeWberry. This gen, leman de-
! termined 10 see ii h could by some natural
! process educate the sleepy specimen into
| more vigorous and better understanding Of
! his duties as a live frog He was then domi-
| ciled in a small fernery in the museum, and
] ii was decided to give him a bath every
| morning proceeding which froggy seemed
strongly TO object to- though he AVIAN vig0I>
| ously while in the water When put back
into his clay cavity he wriggled himself
about until he found the old groove, folded
/ himself up. and seemed cOntented. This
cavity might be described as fitting HIM
where it touched him, that is to say, though
| touching him all over the more prominent
parts Of the body, the clay was not nodded
! into the hollows formed by the folding of his
| limbs. After n short while the Claybed
was taken from him and he was put among
the ferns on the mold, into which he rapidly
! hind legs. For his morning bath he had TO
be dug up daily, then back he would go
! again into seclusion. In "a little while two
patches of dust were noticed on bis nose
these were examined by magn1fying glass,
and it was found that in the center of each
was an infinitely minute no c Just where the
nostri's should b.. After enforced bathing
a.1 exercise daily for about six weeks the
! duh yellow skin cover NJ him began to come
of in small patches. II eventually fell off like
the slough Of "A snake revealing him as Prof.
| Mccoy said he should be. nice
looking notified brown and yellow
frog with bright eyes, mouth, nostrils,
etc. After his skin came off he began 10
| like the water, would jump into it, then
after swim sit underneath the ferns. He
gradually showed liking TO blink in the
sun, and generally deported himself in the
manner OF well conducted frog, though he
was meyer seen 10 take any food.
One day the door of the ferncry was left
open; whc her il was that the Unsuitable dc.
sire for sensation porvading our modern
I civilization affected him so that he desired
, TO see how the world had wagged since ages
| agOne lie had badc it goodbye, whether it
was for the purpose of examining other
| objects of interest in the museum, or that
he stepped out for refreshments or with a
desire 10 20 a-wOo ny. history has not been
informed, at all events, ms cad Of meeting
tho lilly WI duck! Of the fable he came
in contact wit 'he museum CIT, who was
growing aroun,., and before an att ndant
looking on could Interfere, he was seized by
the cat, who, with him in her mouth
dashed through an open window into a
shrubbery hard by and no trace of froggy
was ever again 20 be found.