Evening star., 1899-11-07

frog was to have been sent to the Paris
exposition, but has unfortunately died.
BuVier compared to a kettle drum the
laryngal mechanism which enables this
animal to produce the believing sound
Tor which 1t is named. The more muSical
notes uttered by some of the smaller frogs
are due to vocal sacs or bladder-like cheek
pouches which diStend with air when the
frog is crOaking. Because of the sounds
Tor which they are responsible they are
called Cambridgeshre nightingaIes in Eng
land and Dutch nightingales on the con-
tinent of Europe. Close observers in
Canada may watch the swelling of the
animals cheeks as he pipes lay to his
mate 1t is only the males that have this
peculiar instrument of music, and they
make most use of it in the pairing season
to indicate their presence to the wandering
fair and to warble loving invitation The
note of the Canadian grenOuile is quite
distinct from that of his European con-
gener, and eX-COmmOdore Gregory of the
Quebec Yacht Club tells story of how it
once misled famous Scotch scientist.
When the Marquis of Lorne was governor
general of Canada, his father. the Duke
of Argyle, visited him here. The eminent
naturalist was driven with the duchess
and her daughter by Mr.. Gregory to Lake
BeaupOrt for some trout fishing. In the
long canoe in which the party had en-
barked the duke was enga ged in dssecting
a flower that one of the ladies had plucked
before stepping on board. Mentioning its
scientific name the duke asked Mr.. Gregory
of the same family. Compelled to admit
his ignorance of the subject the commo-
dOre was no reader with a reply when the
man of science pointed to a rock near and
inquired respecting its classification. Mr.
Gregory remarked that although he had
never had time to study much botany or
geology, he hoped to be of some service in
the matter of Canadian BIRDS, to the OBJ
serving of which he had devoted some at
tentiOn. The duke was much pleased The
study of birds was one of his delights He
expressed the belief that he could recognize
many Of the birds of Canada of which he
mad read and seen specimens by their notes
Thought 1t Was "A Bird.
THAT one, for instance, that we hear
now he said. 'is the merle" Mr. Greg
Ory acquiesced. And that other there is
the-eh. the-eh, the-what do you call it.
Mr. Gregory? I have the name on the end
of my tongue and yet | cannot say it,
A smile of supreme satisfaction spread
over the face of the commodore, and he
felt that his time had come now.
That bird, your grace" he said, sis
called an Irish canary, but 1t is in reality
bird of an altogether different feather
or, rather. it is a bird without any feathers
at all; it is frog"
The duke looked increouious. He told the
commodore that he was plainly in error
that he himself knew the bird very we'll
though for the present he could not re
call the name. Out of Difference to his dis
IHSIlSHe guest, Mr.. Gregory did not wish
to enter into any argument but simply re-
marked that the object in question was not
FAR away, and signed 10 the boatmen to pro-
ceed there. There, upon the extremity of
a partly submerged log, sat a little frog
which as the canoe glided by sprang from
1t into the water. The duke blushing q
little, remarked that it was extremely curl
ous. but that it did appear TO be a frog.
after all And the commodore smiled again
and expressed the hope that the duke would
not form an unfavorable opinion of the
scientific attainments of Canadians from
his own ignorance of botany and geology.
The frogs of Canada and other north
ern climes hibernate in winter They bury
themselves in the mud at the bottom of
the water, and cluster together In rests in
state of torpidity, reappearng In the
spring 10 proceed with the work of repro
duction. The frog fishermen notice where
the bullfrogs nest in the fall and cut
through the ice to take them as a demand
arises for them during the winter months.
Comparatively few are shipped OUT OF Can
ada, though in view of their splendid al.al-
lty. due TO the coldness of the water in
which they are found. 1t is remarlla ole thar
nobody here Is enterpris1ng enough to shin
them to the large centers of the United
states Ihey are 50 plentiful that a few
cents dozen would pay tor taking them
here ~