The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 08 (of 10)Gadow, Hans
Science
The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 08 (of 10)
Gadow, Hans
Animals
The alternative specific names are most unfortunately chosen, as they apply
only to spirit-specimens. During life this tree-frog exhibits a
considerable amount of colour-changes. The normal colour is bright green
above, white below. A conspicuous feature of this species is the frequent
occurrence of white specks or spots, which are probably due to the
deposition of guanine, a peculiar white colouring matter. The spots appear
in any part of the green skin, and are quite irregular in their
distribution. Sometimes they remain for weeks in the same place, or they
disappear after a few days and others appear. They are in no way connected
with the shedding of the skin, nor do they indicate ill-health. _H.
coerulea_ lives well in confinement, and becomes tame enough to take food
from one's fingers, even when sitting upon the hand. Some of mine took to
living during the daytime in a small box, preferring a crowded condition in
companionship with {200}Natterjacks. Others squeeze themselves into the
most uncomfortable cracks, while others again prefer the broad leaves of
_Philodendron_. A favourite place for two or three at a time is the
funnel-shaped spaces formed by _Bromelia_-plants. Those specimens which are
hidden in the box or in the hollows of rotten stumps are, almost without
exception, dull, very dark brownish olive, while those on the Bromelias
assume exactly the sombre dull green of its leaves. Lastly, those which sit
in the light, exposed places, no matter if upon a leaf, on a white stone,
or upon a board, are emerald-green, especially beautiful on hot, sunny
days;–and they are not always averse to the full glare of the sun. When
squatting upon a flat surface, such as a broad leaf, they tuck the
fore-paws under the head like a cat, and with half open eyelids, the pupil
contracted to a tiny slit, so that the golden iris is exposed, they remain
motionless during the day. They take food when offered, but at night they
roam about, either hopping on the ground, or making enormous leaps from
leaf to leaf, sometimes deliberately stalking some choice insect, and
patiently climbing up a stem, hand over hand. At night their whole aspect
is changed. The colour is saturated green, the eyes are transformed into
round, projecting shiny black beads, and the head is erect. The ludicrously
dreamy, complacent look has given way to wide-awake alertness. They take
all kinds of living food. When they find an earthworm, they first look at
it, bending the head sharply down, lift themselves upon the fore-limbs and
then pounce upon it, nipping the prey with the jaws, and then poking it
down deliberately with the hands. Cockroaches are simply lapped up, and
disappear in the twinkle of an eye. Mealworms, wood-lice, butterflies and
moths, flies and spiders are taken. The stomach of a specimen in the
Dresden Museum, from the Aru Islands, contained some four or five young
freshwater Crustaceans of the genus _Sesarma_. They fortunately do not
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