St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1890-02-08
A FoUR-LEGcE0 ACROBAT.


snce Of . Little Tree-Toad.
While walking on country road ON
cool morning ir juno I noticed q small
object on the edge Of . board fenc
which excited my curiosity. The objec
was about two inches long, and looke'
like a piece Of putty which had beel
pinched on to the board, or, perhaps
more like the light-gray fungus growth
seen on decayed trees.
| l approached cautiously, having /;
strong feeling that it might be thing
OF life. although there was nothing
about it to indicate that it was such
When near enough to touch it felt con
ndent that it was tree-toad, even
though l had never before seen one. 1t.
little head and rump were drawn down
and partially under, and its legs and
feet were drawn up and folded 50 closely
to the body IS to make an almost sym.
metrical figure, the lines where the
limbs touched the body being almost i'm.
perceptible. With . feeling of joy
closed my hand over it and removed it
from the fence.
To the sensitive palm Of the hand its
touch was cool, but not moist or ',olam-
N.Y." as in the case OF its cousins, she
common toad and the frog. Its skin felt
smooth and silky.
For fear OF smothering the little fell
low l made pouch Of nay handkerchief,
putting stone in the bottom of it to
make it roomy, and in that way brought
him home for closer acquaintance.
When placed on the center Of tho
library table, he sat for q moment as il
to collect his thoughts, and then sprang,
blindly. as it seemed, over the tables
edge and caught with one toe ON an OBJ
ject which he was passing, and which he
could not have seen from where he
started. Although going with great
swiftness, the strength of that single
slender toe, rounded ON the end with
its curious little sucker, @as suffl-
cient to enable him to stop and
draw himself up in god form.
He then hoped on to the round
Of chair, and to give him . good op-
portunity to display his wonderful agil-
ity, l tipped the chair ON one leg and
revolved it slowly, he hopping from
round to round, up, down and across.
seemingly enjoying it Is much as his
audience did.
At first when touched he appeared
and would jump In one OF
these jumps he landed on the surface Of
the pier-glass, on which he moved up or
down with sort of half shuttle and
half mop. Soon he evinced no fear on
being touched, and on being stroked
gently on the back would turn his head
with knowing wink in that direction.
Having given us such an interesting
! considered that he de-
served his freedom again. Taking him
in my hand l held him up about three
[eet from an old apple tree at the side
,f the house. He seemed in no hurry
20 take his departure, but crawled leis-
llely up on the tips Of my fingers. his
little toes clasped firmly around them,
surveyed for moment the group sur
him, and the next instant |
'lighted on the bark of the tree.
We waited for some time, curious to |
zee his next movement, but he made |
lone. Watched closely for any change
-
like chameleons, change
heir color and 50 render themselves al
most undistinguishable from their sur
but there was none, and he
vas perfectly plain to the sight Of any
4 those who saw him gain the position;
ut another person joining the group
Ould not discern him for some time,
Though his location was pointed out.
After awhile, our attention for mo-
lent being drawn elsewhere, he had
completely. and the sharp
st pair of eyes could not trace him. nor
ad he left the tree. This would tend
D prove whether or not he could adapt
is color to match his surroundings, he
ertainly possessed the faculty of get
ing on to places most like his coat in
ppearance.-Harper's Young People