The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-12
TALES OF THE BULLFROG.
When Irritnted He VIII Attack
GOIdhsh-One Seized n Sparrow.

From the Hartford Comm Times
ooh! mamma. did you see that horrid
bulfrog jump for the godfish?" was the
| exclamation of pretty little tot as she
stood with her mother looking at the geld
fish in the pond in Bushnell park on
Thursday. The child followed with her
eyes the tiny fish and its hideous pursuer
and watched with evident pleasure the
distance between the two lengthenlng I'M
til the fish was out of danger
Policeman Strickland, who has been do
ing police duty on the park for a number
of years, Is probably mere familiar with
the habits of the denizens of the rond
than any one else in the city. Mr. Strick-
land says that the bull frogs do not ha-
hi ually prey on the fish. The ugly-look-
ing creatures live in harmony. as a rule,
with their beautiful neighbors. But occa-
sionally a bullfrog is seen eating a fish.
officer Strickland does not believe that
the pangs of hunger excite the frogs
to make an attack on the fishes. They will
not modest them in ordinary circum-
stances. 1t is only when the fish provoke
them that they will make an attack.
When the fishes congregate in large
schools to nibble at the crumbs thrown
INTO the WdttiB tINJ JpStlS dA-u jump ONCI
each other.
It sometimes happens that at these
feasts frog will be enjoying a siesta in
the shade of the leaf Ct an aquatic plant
or tuft of grass. The quick movements
of the nimble fish in their bright hues of
scarlet, made more brilliant by the rays
of the sun, disturb the slothful creature
near the bank. Its bullying eyes assume a
fierce expression, and discordant croak
fgta led ind An toe ifc ri
ing wrath. 1t watches the feasting beau
ties for a few minutes, and then with a
gulping sound it springs among them. 1t
always catches one in It's wide mouth,
and proceeds to devour its victim more
in anger than to satisfy hunger 1t is a
well known TACT that the shaking of any
ching bright or red in front of a frog
irritates it beyond endurance
Those who make a business of catching
frogs. knowing that the creatures temp
ers are affected by the quick movements
of anything of red color, use a piece of
red flannel as bait The active move
ments of the goldfish have the same eff
feet on the frogs as bait So long as the
fish swim slowly by the frogs the latter
will not modest them
Officer Strickland tells the story of vo-
racious bullfrog that is worth repeating.
He vouches for the accuracy of it, he
having seen the freq aad the fish. A frog
caught an unusual y large goldfish one
dav and swan to a pond lily leaf to de
YOUR il at its ease. The head of the fish
was in the frogs mouth and the great
er part of the body ana tail protrude1 out
Of IT, The fish wriggled quite violently
for a few minutes and then died, But the
frog was unable to devour 1t. and made
movements which indicated a desire to be
relieved of the surplus portion of the fish
which it could not conveniently find room
for. But the fish, before II died. had wrlR
ged itself too far down the frogs throat
| to be elected, and there II stuck. The
frog remained on the leaf in an appar-
| entity comat3se sta e for forty-e ght hours
| until IL had digested the entire fish.
A frog was seen one day in the pond.
| catching a sparrow and carrying II TO It's
! Shiny quarters beneath the surface of the
| water The frog was an old one and was
! OF enormous size. IL was seated among
| tall grass when a Child threw crumbs into
the water for the goldfish. Some Of the
/ crumbs fell on a large leaf, and a spar
row. hungry, for its meal, had the temer-
| ity 10 fly from the branch of tree on
| to the leaf TO pick crumb. AS the bird
lighted on the leaf the frog made quick
! lump and landed right on top OF the in
! truder There was an agitated fiutter and
n cry OF despair from the bird as the frog
seized II and dlved with II beneath the
/ water.