. Nature study and life. Nature study. 28o NATURE STUDY AND LIFE in the water, rising to the surface, for the toads to rest on. Some boy or girl may volunteer to secure the entire laying of a pair of toads to show the school, and it might be interesting to count or estimate the number. Toad spawn is distinguished from that of frogs and salaman- ders by the fact that it is laid in strings or " ropes," the eggs lying in single rows inclosed in a transparent jelly. They are about the size of a small pin head at first, black above and light below; as they float they look like strings of
. Nature study and life. Nature study. 28o NATURE STUDY AND LIFE in the water, rising to the surface, for the toads to rest on. Some boy or girl may volunteer to secure the entire laying of a pair of toads to show the school, and it might be interesting to count or estimate the number. Toad spawn is distinguished from that of frogs and salaman- ders by the fact that it is laid in strings or " ropes," the eggs lying in single rows inclosed in a transparent jelly. They are about the size of a small pin head at first, black above and light below; as they float they look like strings of black beads. It may stagger the class to believe that a toad can lay a mass of eggs eight or ten times as large as its whole body, — as though a hen were to lay an egg the size of a bushel basket. This mystery is ex- plained by the swelling of the jelly on contact with the water. But the number of eggs is almost incredible. Layings of four toads con- tained, respectively, 7587 and 11,545 (counted), and 8000 and 9500 (estimated). This number is laid in a few hours, generally at night; and then, quitting the water, the parents probably return to the same gardens whence they came. Beginning with the egg, the most interesting part of the toad's life story may be read in its reality by occasional observations in the ponds and by taking a few eggs home or to the schoolroom to watch their development from. Fig. 115. Eggs laid by a Toad The glass dish is nine inches in diameter. Number of eggs, 9500 (estimated). Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Hodge, Clifton Fremont, 1859-. Boston and London, Ginn & Co.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectnatures, bookyear1902
