The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-13
DOFROGS CATCH BIRDS?
A Discussion Provoked by Remarka-
Bile Story of Clergyman.

Bile story OF clergyman.
Or;l,thologis1s-the learned kind-and
the less scientific opera glass bird stu
dents of the Audubon societies are just
now engaged In the discussion of the
question whether a bullfrog can jump
clear out of water and catch a barn swal-
low that is whirling past at mile-a-
minute gait Peope have pooh-poohed
mary a thing which has proved after
ward to be fact. When a person has 1t
brought home to him that ants keep
GUYS and run dairy farms he is willing
to believe almost anything about the crea-
tur2s that man is pleased to call lower
animals. Nevertheless. the ornitholo-
g,sts are split up on the bullfrog and the
swallow question. Notwithstanding the
fact that they have the printed word
of William ]. Long, clergyman, by the
way, that the frog not only captured the
swallow, but day or two afterward
gnbled up a Canadian tree sparrow that
was taking a bath at the waters edge.
At the recent annual meeting Of the
Illinois Audubon Society the bullfrog- bird
question was discussed at some length.
Ny Long had parIisans In plenty at the
met ting to take his side of the thing
against the skeptics. who were not a
fcv. The reason that the frog and the
bird episodes have caused so much dis
putting among the doctors" Is that the
DOCK IN WHICH occurs the story OF the
tatyachiaa and his feathered prey, is
issued by an educational publishing firm.
and is being read by children In schools
all over the land There have been bird
students in abundance from White Of
Shclbourne to Coues Of Washington, but
a search of the works of both extremes
and all the means fails to disclose a sin
gle instance of a bullfrog turning fow-
Ter
~
ments say that it is the unexpected that
is always happening, and that the frog
stories which he tells are no more start
ling than some things which have gone
BEFORE. Even the opponents of Mr.. Long
do not charge him with telling things
which ere not so. They simply maintain
that his sight was faulty.
In the reader which is for use in sun
Elementary school work the chapter in
which occur the frog-swallowing stor.
les has small illustration which rep.
resents Chgwoeltz. the frog, as jumping
several feet into the air. away clear OF
the tops Of the rushes. and in the &C,
of selling our pretty fork-tailed friend,
the barn swallow. The picture, some
of the orinthologists say, is much hard
er to believe than the story. A straight
upward jump of a frog from the sur
face of pool is something they say diff
ncult Of accomplishment, even for the
lively creature whose legs are beloved
OF the French gourma1d
One of the dispu1ants who would like
to see frog swallow swallow for his
own satisfaction, called attention to the
fact that tho swallows flight is like the
passage OF light for swiftness, and that
in order to catch the bird, Chigwooltz-
this the Indian name Mr.. Long gives the
frog-would be compelled. like the sports
man when shooting duck. to hold about
ten feet ahead Of his prey in order to
bring it down. In other words, CHG
wooltz from behind his blind of lily pa DIS.
would have to watch for the corins
of the swallow and make his leap 1ust
in time to bring about close counec
ton between his mouth and the hurry
ing bird.-Chicago Record-Herald.