The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-15
HOW TO CORNER FROGS.
Minneapolis Man Knows some.
thing About Them.
From the Minneapolis Tribune.


From the Minneapolis Tribune.
To rid the Minneapolis reservoir of frogs.
and at the same time corner the frog mar
ket of the country. is the earnest desire
of Isaac La Bissonierre, one of the most
noted old residents of the Northwest.
This is what Mr.. La Bissonierre had to
say:
Frogs are just like geese, in that tn~x
have leader and travel in huge fiocks.
During the warm weather they are scat
tered all over the country and YOU are
likely to find them in the woods or in the
public street, but at the first touch Of
cold weather they begin to congregate for
all the world like a lot of birds gettina
ready to go South for the winter.
Being cold-blooded animals-if animals
they can be called-the frogs dread tha
cold weather. and when the first frost
comes they start for the deep wafer To
the bottom of which they sink and cover
themselves with mud, in which they snend
the winter, emerging again in the spring
ready to do their duty by the fisberroa1
or by the men who love frogs hind legs
Each party of frogs has its own leader
generally a big fellow who has knocked
around the world, and who has becom.
wise as to the ways of man. This leader
raves an over the country, collecting the
IroSs or his band, calling them with \
peculiar 'chug! chugn which can be heard
a long distance. After the frogs have hoe,,
collected sort of conference is held. DIR
ing which sub-leaders are appointed b,,
the leader proper.
Then the start is made for deep water
winch IN this case happens to be the Min
heapolls reservoir, the frogs avoiding the
river as much as possible on account OF
the SWIFT current. Every mile or So a
stop is made, scouts are sent out ana
additions to the band are brought in In
TINS way the journey to the reservoir ia
cohdhued, sometimes a week or so being
consumed in making the trim
Arriving at the reservoir. another cor-
ference is held, when it is likely the hest
method OF getting over the fence uyhicb
surrounds the place is debated. SOM
persons seem to think frogs can be kant
out by means of wire fence, but in this
they are mistaken, for there is nothing ret
ter frogs like than getting over u,ira
FENCES, especially If the fences are war
ranted to keep them out
Did you ever see a frog climb? wau
II you want to see not one of ther, -
thousands, just go TO the reservoir tho
IAN ana your curiosity will be more than
sdtlshed. You will see all the froos clir1b
the fence and go over it as a tborol,obhrae,
Jumping horse would go over a two-raiI
Iehce They have learned how bv lone ox.
perience. ~ i0"s eA-
sometimes some of the young frogs ara
unaple 10 muster strength enough to mako
the jump with any degree of satis9anttn'1
10 the leaders, and then there is a scena
SO 1unny that no man can help lauehing
me niue frogs are lined up alongside Of
the wire fence, and then the leaders come
at them with a rush, uttering croaks ~
anger ana rage. The little frogs, alarmed
10y TINS demonstration, and no doubt think
To hs
| climb DeelH |"
Ihat is what the leaders want Al
soon as the youngsters are part way IN
the fence the leaders climb after them ana
literally boost them to the ton as one
small boy would boost another over gar
ueh wan. When the little fellows had
reached the top the leaders gave vent IN
their satisfaction by chuckles of delight
ana any man who has studied the habits
OF the creatures can almost understand
what they are saying.
AFTER reaching the inside OF the reser.
Volr the frogs rest for day or so, during
which time they hold grand reunion the
members of each band becoming acousint-
ed with the members of the other hand.
ana no doubt exchanging experiences re-
| garding life in the outer world This re-
union Is generally continued until the first
real cold night, when the frogs all dis
| appear, going to the bottom, where thew
!
springtime.
When the weather gets warm after the
| ice has gone out the leaders are the first
ones to emerge from their winter quarters,
| They rise to the surface, and with many
| croak call the members of their bands
TO the sunlight This is the time the
young frogs-the very young ones. L mean
! make their appearance. The spawn
| floats around on the surface of the water,
and in order 10 exterminate the amphi-
| off.
This is where my secret method comes
INTO play. If l am given permission to rid
the reservoir of the frogs 1 Will begin
work at once, and when the springtime
! comes there will not be one left in the res
/ erVoir. The present fence is no good as q
! frog stopper. There is an important fea-
| ture lacking, and when have added that
ana then removed all the spawn in the
| spring you will never again be able to find
a frog or the trace of frog in the place"