The San Francisco call., 1906-10-28

EEyeaing IN spring and early summer.
5,6sraeters2Denizens Of Pools. Trees and
Meadows.
IUG o rum, jug o rum. jug o rum,
It is thus that the show at Frog
vile begins The actor just now
occupying the center OF the, stage
isaa big. fat bullfrog, leisurely squat
ting on a floating lily pad and sending
forth his deep notes for all the World
like a bass viol. just as If he knew that
this was his solo and was bound TO
make the most Of il.
But harkt The orchestra is sending
out few preliminary chords AS they
boom forth on the calm air faint dis
turbance among the leaves. tWigs and
MOSES ramparting the waters edge
heralds the commencement of the cho-
rus Now, from the farthest limits OF
Frogvilie rise in unison the voices OF
the inhabitants Of ponds and pools.
1l2re twigs and mosses stir. More
voices swell the -oratorio. The chief
actor. hidden from view by the pris-
'natic-hued colony which suddenly ap-
pears on the scene, still sends forth his
bellowing call, which has been COM
pared TO "a deafening. agonizing roar,
hoarse and woeful," to the very center
Of activity and sound He is evidently
not gutter" this broad backed ex-
ponent Of frog rights in Frogville. No,
indeed jug O. rum, jug o. rum, jug
% T-um." On he goes vaiiantIy swell
ing the already distended vocal sac at
his throat till II seems that he must
burst. Peep, peep, peep" come the
baby choristers IN the foreground.
Chung. ch-u-ngtp This is a cheer
ful, vigorous CALL quite musical in
quality and one very familiar to the.
audience. It comes from singer who
wears a suit OF metallic green and
dusky olive with a wide yellow band
on the shoulders. In fact, ali the
members Of the chorus as well as the
chief sOloists are brilliantly and beaiI-
ufuily. dressed. There is the leopard
frog who disports an exquisite dress
Of brown with two irregular rows OF
rounded dark spots between bronze
folds This chorister has also a beau
tiful voice, and should you approach
him during one Of his solos he will ex-
-postuiate very decidedly You would
not think that a frog could talk in so
charming fashion. Near him, sitting
on tufted hummock. is a pickereI
J frog in his distinctive suit Of brown
striped with light from head to shoul-
der This frog is a bass singer. and
the sound made by his low monotone
resembles the sound produced bv tear.
ing resisting cloth. His register is
from Q 10 below middle C, which
makes him valuable member of the
orchestra The gopher frog wes rs a +
suit Of purple with broad folds of or
snge yellow. He is not a lovely speci-
men OF MS kind and he seems to know
u, as II is only once in a while thar he
rus. W
There IS the yellow-legged frog.
whose body is Completely covered with
n a 1r~f,.
appearance Of wearing a suit of sand
paper were it not that the whole tu-
bercular upper surface is a. brigh1l brick
leo- Be IS very shy. and It is difficult
70 ger MN 10 appear in the choEr7s at
al, as he scUttleS away at the least
sign Of approach. Like all the Others
OF MS pond and wood brethren. he is
able to keep up with the demands aof /.
FASHION oy. changing his suit II he
wishes laree or four times in, a single
morning All these suits are remark
able for the pattern and variety OF the
spots and stripes used. TO quote from.
Mary g ,Djclerson, whose +. claiming
ano delightful "f'rog. Book" las Just
been published These color patterns
are interesting wlle.7 one soi9sie3ers
their origin. E3leys have come into sex- {.
tistence slowly through the influence of /
Sight and probably az a direct rex,3it of
the alternating spots and bars of sun
shine and shade cast on the creatures
BY the sun shining through the foliage s
or their environmenLs.ss Frog and toad
celoring is largely due to the pigment
secreted tunder the skin This spie~-
ment may be OF various colors-yeliou
red, black or metallic. The PIGMENTS
granular and IS Enclosed within cells
which have the power of q Changing.
shape. There is. usual ~ a LAYER of
black pigment scel1sE Just. below the
epioermis which itself is white and
transparent These pigment cells may
contract or expand. radiating many
branches II they contract and retreat.
the surface OF the. frog. IS sieft light in
color:e1f. they expand. stretching ont
black branches toward the transparent s
eploerpnfs. the skin appea rs dark =
Bright ight or heat causes the Cells to
contract. Darkness or cold causes
them TO expand. Frogs that are blind
change color much less. rapidly than
those that are normal, as in en- ordi-
nary frog the change from light to dark
and vice versa may take place within
ten minutes, thus endowings the frog
with all the advantages OF truly
magic skin. ~
Change Color in Ten Minutes.
Any frog possessing a layer of black
pigment cells under the skin will
change from light to dark; but If there
are no. other pigments the shades
passed through Will be dull browns and p
grays. If yellow pigment Is possessed
also, the changes will be from black
through bright browns to bright 'yeIIow :