Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-07-18
AN ANTeDILuWaN FROG sroRux'
Curious Story of Little Animal which
Probably Lived Over 10000 Years.

SOME lcuHlA 10 uetalllNG the later MS
tory of an old toad, who was only nj,
lowed 20 live three DAYS after having
been dug 0utof the cavity wherein he
had secluded himself for tribe over
twenty thousand years or more, and
how Iocal surgeon, endeavuring to
improve on nature, "hOping To enable
him % take food. slit the membrane by
winch his mouth was closed, and the
patient unfortunately had not suli-
Gent vitality to survive the opera
tom 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 length of
whose retirement could only be meas
ured by geological period of time,
and who was returned TO his long past
overgrouud life and condition by natur-
al means.
In the Plenty valley, Victoria, some
time in the early 70's, road party
were making deep cutting through
som clay beds TO improve local traffic
facilities. The clay bed was tertiary
formation; it was hard and OF yellow
color. On the clav-bank gum-trees,
some hundreds of years old, were
growing. When about thirty feet be-
low the surface block of this clay in
falling broke into two pieces. out of
which tumbled little frog, with Il
body about two and one-half inches
long and one and oue-quarter 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 size; he was
in no way thin; in fact, seemed to be a
well-nurtured and properly cared-for
frog.
The block of clay was reduced in
size and the frog. with the two pieces
which formed his dwelling, was sent
to tho archaeological museum. Mel
bourne. Mr.. Newberry, the chief of
that institution, examined him very
closely, aud found that all the natural
oritices of the body had closed COM
plotely; in fact, there was of them not
q trace remaining. In color the frog
was a dirty yellow, such ms the clay,
without any variation of tinge Mr..
Newberry sent this creature for idonti-
tication to FIR derrick Mccoy, +. X. s.,
professor of natural sciences. Mel
bourne university, Prof. Mccoy identi-
fled him as a member of the well-known
species whose habits were, i'm times of
trouble, such as drought or cold, to
bury themselves IN the earth and re-
main there until the condition of things
was more to their liking. Members Of
the species mentioned. however. were
"A yellow color notified with brown;
after the identification the creature
was again returned to MIR. Nowberry.
This gentleman determined to see if
he could by some natural process
educate the sleepy specimen into Il
more vigorous and better understands
ing of his duties as live frog. lie
was then domiciled In a small feruery
in the museum, aud it was decided to
give him bath every morning, a pro-
coeding which froggy seemed strongly
TO object to, though he swan yigor-
ously while in the water When put
back into his clay cavity he wrigglod
himself about until he found the old
groove, folded himself mp, and seemed
most conteuted. This cavity might be
described as fitting him wherever it
touched him, that is to say, though
touching him all over the more prom
inent part, of the body the clay was
not nodded into the hollows formed by
the folding of his limbs.
After q short while the clay bed was
taken from him and he was put among
the ferns on the mold, into which he
rapidly sank stern first by peculiar
motion of his hind legs. For his morn
ing bath he had to be dug up daily,
then back he would 90 again into sc-
clusop. Ia little while two patches
OF dust were noticed ON his nose; these
were examined by a magnifying-glas
and IL was found that in the center Of
each wa, au infinitely minute hole,
just where the nostrils should be. At
ter enforced bathing and exercise daily
for shout six or eight weeks the duh
yellow skin covering him began 10
come of in small patches; IL eventual
ly fell of like the slough of a snake,
revealing him, rs Prof Mccoy said he
should be, auce-lookiug notified brown
and yellow frog, with bright eyes,
mouth, noslrls, etc.
After his skin came of, he began TO
like the water, would jump into it,,
then after a swim sit underneath tho
ferns; be gradually showed liking to
blink in the sun and generally disport-
ed himself ia the manner Of a we'll
conducted frog, though he was never
seen 10 take any food. One day the
door Of the ferncry vas left open;
whether it YVES that the Unsuitable de-
sire for sensation pcryading our mod
ern civilization affected him, so that he
desired TO see how the world had
waggcd since ages agone he bad bid it
goodbye, whether it was for the pur-
pose Of examining other objects Of in
terest In the museum, on that he step
ped out for refreshments, or with de-
sire 10 20 a-wooing, history has not
been informed; at all events, Instead Of
meeting the lilly white duck Of the
fable. he came in contact with tho mu-
scum cat, who was prowling around,
and before an attendant looking on
could interfere. he was seized by the
cat. who. with him ia her mouth, DASH
ed through an open window into a
shrubbery hard BY, aud no trace Of
froggy was ever again 70 be found
L0ad0H Engineering.