Milford chronicle., 1902-05-09
Delaware College Nature Study
Work.
A LETTER TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS
ABOUT TOADS.
DEAR BOYS ANp GIRIs =


Who is it singing such sweet,
drowsy lullabies over in the ponds /
and marshes these warm days and
nights why, the frogs, of
course, =" I hear you say, and 50 it
is. You know they stop singing
as soon as they hear you coming,
but if you keep very quiet and still
they will soon commence again,
and if you watch closely, you may
see one big fellow up on the bank.
Who can tell where the song comes
from +? People open their mouths
when they sing. but the frogs just
have to pump a big sack under
their Threats to make the sound
come. The lady frogs do not sing,
so it must be the papa frogs who
sing the baby frogs to sleep.
Did you ever see toad s eggs +?
If not, you must try this spring to
find them. This is about the right
time to look for them and you may
find them near the edge Of any still
pond, a long string of black beady
eggs encircled by jelly Only the
toad lays its eggs in strings, SO you
cannot make mistake. Frogs lay
theirs in punches.
The egg is the beginning of the
toad Just as it is of the chickens
and the ducks. Some day, real
soon, you must take a pail or a
glass jar and sweep up some Of the
eggs and take them to school with
you. Don't be afraid Of the green
scum; it is only a mass Of tiny
plants and very useful in keeping
the water pure for the frogs to
breathe. Watch the eggs closely
many times a day, and presently
you will see them commence to
move and wiggle. Pretty soon a
lot of wee, black tadpoles with long
tails will be seen swimming about
in the water If you wish to watcf
them grow,you must do what l an
going to tell you now. Get bis
milk pan or large basin, put som,
mud and stones and green scum
/ from the pond in it, arranging it Sc
that it will slope like the bank of g
pond. Then pour some clear ponC
water into it and let it stand unit
the mud has settled, when you may
put in the tadpoles that matched
from the eggs, or some from tn
pond if you are careful to get tn
! 'backest" tadpoles. The other
/ may be frogs Keep your bash
9 in the light; but not in the sun
See how the tadpoles come up t
the surface of the water to breathe
+ Notice, 100, that every week tn
4 tail grows shorter and shorter
Presently legs will appear. Pei
;, haps some day you will expect t
: see the tail drop off. But. no, ths
4 will not happen. 1t is just gradr
I. ally drawn into the body and use
up in the growth Of some othe
1. parts. The little tadpole is almo:
toad now, except that its body
l. smooth instead of warty. Som
i day, if you leave your pan out (
I doors, you will find they have a
J gone to make a living on the lanC
IS Do not throw stones at the toa
A. when you see it hopping about j
n mothers flower garden. Do yc
know what it is doing It is ca
ing the insects and bugs that d
stroy so many flowers and crop
He is one of our very best frienG
and entirely harmless. Just watC
~ how quickly he snaps up the file
a. His tongue is fastened at the fro
of his mouth instead of at the bac
and is coated with a sticky su
stance like that on fy-paper.
y When the weather begins to G
"a cold in the fall the toad buries hii
Z self in some soft earth where
goes to sleep for the wirte
This is called hibernating. Nc
look out for the toads, and be SD
you are kind to them. Next tir
nd [ will tell you something about t
So flowers and some of their inse
nS; visitors. Yours very cordially,
an CECIL BLANDFORD SANDERsO