[Illustration] [Illustration] [Illustration] [Illustration] [Illustration] [Illustration] [Illustration] [Illustration] [Illustration] With the distinction of residence in the main court of the reptile-house itself, as also with the knowledge of its rarity, the Smooth-clawed Frog sets no small value on himself. He lives in water perpetually, and is always bobbing mysteriously about in it with his four-fingered hands spread out before him. This seems to me to be nothing but a vulgar manifestation of the Smooth-clawed Frog's self-appreciation. He is like a coster conducting a Dutch auction, except that it is himself that he puts up for the bids of admiring visitors. With his double bunch of four fingers held eagerly before him he says--or means to say--"'Ere--eight! Ain't that cheap enough? Eight! Going at eight. Who says eight? Now then--eight; for a noble frog like me!" Presently, he wriggles a little in the water, as though vexed at the slackness of offers; then he drops one of the hands and leaves the other outstretched. "'Ere--four! Anythink to do business. Four! Nobody say four? Oh, blow this!" and with a jerk of one long paddle he dives among the weeds. "Them shiny-lookin' swells ain't got no money!" is what I am convinced he reports to his friends. The Smooth-clawed Frog has lately begun to breed here, a thing before unknown; so that his rarity and value are in danger of depreciation. But such is his inordinate conceit of himself that I am convinced he will always begin the bidding with eight. [Illustration] [Illustration] [Illustration: "HAPPY?"] [Illustration: "I AM HAPPY."] [Illustration: "WHY SHOULDN'T I BE HAPPY?"] [Illustration: "THE SOCIETY LODGES ME."] [Illustration: "TYRRELL FEEDS ME."] [Illustration: "NO EXPENSE TO ME, YOU KNOW."] [Illustration] [Illustration: "GOOD DAY TO YOU."]