The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-01-22
THE TREE TOAD.
What 1 Learned Concerning This Curious
Little Animal.

What Learned Concerning This Curious
Little Animal.
While walking on country road one
cool morning in June, noticed small
object on the edge of board fence
which excited my curiosity. The object
was about two inches long, and looked
like piece of putty which had been
pinched on the board, or perhaps more
like the light gray fungous growth seen
on decayed trees.
I approached cautiously, having a
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
confident that it was tree-toad, even
though had never before seen one. Its
little head and rump were drawn down
and partially under, and its legs and
feet were drawn up and folded so closely
to the body as to make an almost SYM
metrical figure, the lines where
the limbs touched the body be-
ing almost impcrceptible. 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 'clammy," as in the case of
its cousins, the common toad and the
frog. Its skin felt smooth and silky.
For fear Of smothering the little fellow
made a pouch of my 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 the
library table, he sat for moment as if
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, was sufficient to
enable him to stop and draw himself up
in good form. He then hoped on to the
round of chair, and to give him a
good opportunity to display his wonder
full agility, l tipped the chair on one
leg and revolved it slowly, he hopping
from round to round, up, down and
across, seemingly enjoying it as much
as his audience did. At first when
touched he appeared startled, 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-shufle and half-hop. Soon he
evinced no fear on being touched, a nd
on being stroked gently on the back
would turn his head with knowing
wink in that direction.
Having given us such an interesting
entertainment, considered that he de-
served his freedom again. Taking him
in my hand l held him up about three
feet from an old apple-tree at the side
of the house. He seemed in no hurry to
take his departure, but crawled leisure
ly up on the tips of my fingers, his little
toes clasp firmly around them, surveyed
for moment the group surrounding
him, and the next instant alighted on
the bark of the tree.
We waited for some time, curious to
see his next movement but he made
none. watched closely for any change
of color in his coat, for l had read that
tree-toads, like chameleons, change
their color and so render themselves al.
most undistinguishable from their sur
roundings;but there was none, and he was
perfectly plain to the sight of any who saw
MIN gain the position; but another per
son joining the group could not discern
him for some time, although his loca
ton was pointed out.
After awhile, our attention for mo
ment being drawn elsewhere, he had dis
appeared completely, and the sharpest
pair of eyes could not trace him, nor ha(
he left the tree. This would tend t,
prove that whether or not he coult
adapt his color to match his surround
ings, he certainly possessed the facult.
of getting on to places most like his Goa
in appearance.
The more marked points of differenc
noted between the tree and the common
. toad are: the color, which in the tree
toad might be described as that of WOO
ashes on the back and sides, the unde
parts being white tinged with brigh
yellow on the edges; the structure
which is simmer and more graceful
than that of the common variety, tn
limbs being round, slender, and at tn
, same time muscular, the toes ending i
. little round fat suckers; and the habi
!, of turning their toes outward, in orde
! the more firmly to grasp the tree trun
/, this characteristic being more marlSe
, with the toes of the forefeet, and almo
/. the reverse Of the position of those {
the CONT on toad or frog; the ski