The Wood Frog, (Rana sylvatica), is frequently seen in moist valleys in the Zoological Park, where its chocolate brown back so closely matches the color of the dead leaves and moist earth; it is difficult to find, save when it takes one of its flying leaps. The specimens shown were taken near the Beaver Pond.
The Tree Frog, (Hyla pickeringi), is the commonest of the queer little tree-loving species which are so easy to hear, and so difficult to find. In spring their voices are the first to be heard in the swamps. The Zoological Park is full ofHylas, and their cheerful piping is heard at all seasons, especially in dry midsummer, when dark storm-clouds gather and promise rain.
The Common Toad, (Bufo lentiginosus), is found in the Zoological Park, though not in such abundance as the two preceding species.
Among the most remarkable creatures in the Reptile House are the specimens ofSmooth-Clawed Frog, (Xenopus laevis), from Africa andThe Surinam Toad, (Pipa americana). Both of these species are strictly aquatic and have broadly palmated hind feet. The Surinam Toad comes from Dutch Guiana. It is unique in its breeding habits. The male collects the eggs and places them on the female’s back where they are engulfed in large folds of the skin, which form cells in which the metamorphosis occurs.
The Spotted Salamander, (Salamandra maculosa), because of its broad, bright yellow bands and blotches, laid on a rich, dark-brown body color, is one of the most showy of all Amphibians. It comes from Europe, and being much prized in collections, it frequently passes through the hands of dealers in reptiles. Its skin is very moist and clammy, which gives the creature the appearance of having been varnished. This is the creature which is supposed to be able to withstand fire—a belief which is purely imaginative.
The Tiger Salamander or Axolotl, (Amblystoma tigrinum), is a widely different creature from the preceding. It is found throughout the greater portion of the North American continent, and as far south as Central Mexico. Thirteen other species of the genusAmblystomaare found in North America and Mexico. In the matter of “harmonizing with environment,” theAmblystomais one of the most remarkable creatures in existence. In its larval stage (corresponding with the tadpole stage of a frog), this animalpossesses external gills, red and sponge-like in appearance, and its tail has a fin-like edge above and below, like the tail of an eel.
METAMORPHOSIS OF THE LEOPARD FROG.
METAMORPHOSIS OF THE LEOPARD FROG.
So long as this larval creature remains in water, its external gills remain and do duty, and the larval stage continues indefinitely. Remove it from water, or let its home pool dry up, and, presto! its gills dry up, its tail loses its fin-like edges, and the creature goes about on land, breathing air instead of water, with lungs instead of gills.
The “Water-Dog”or “Hellbender,” (Cryptobranchus allegheniensis), is a salamander-like amphibian, from 18 to 22 inches long when adult, found more frequently in Pennsylvania than elsewhere. They are said to be very tenacious of life, and voracious in their food habits, feeding on worms, minnows and crayfish, and often taking the hook of the fisherman in quest of that most repulsive of all American fishes, the cat-fish. Between cat-fish and water-dog there would seem to be small choice. Mr. William Frear offers this testimony in regard to the tenacity of life of this creature:
“One specimen, about 18 inches in length, which had lain on the ground exposed to a summer sun for 48 hours, was brought to the museum, and left lying a day longer before it was placed in alcohol. The day following, desiring tonote a few points of structure, I removed it from the alcohol in which it had been completely submerged for at least 20 hours, and had no sooner placed in on the table than it began to open its big mouth, vigorously sway its tail to and fro, and give other undoubted signs of vitality.”
The Congo Snake, orAmphiuma, (Amphiuma means), is a creature which closely resembles a thick-tailed snake. A close examination, however, discloses a tiny pair of front legs; and far back, well toward the end of the tail, a small pair of hind legs appear. These are about as valuable to the animal as the tiger’s clavicle is to him. There are but two species belonging to this strange genus, both of which are found in the stagnant waters of our southeastern states. Still lower than the amphiuma, isThe Mud Eel, (Siren lacertina), of the southeastern quarter of the United States, which possesses small external gills, and only one pair of legs, which are in front.
The Menobranchus, orMud Puppy, (Necturus maculatus), possesses external gills and four legs, and inhabits many of the rivers of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, the great lakes and also the lakes of northern New York. It is often taken in fisherman’s nets.
A collection of insects was formed and placed on exhibition during the early summer of 1910. While this first exhibit was not elaborate, it excited such interest that it was decided to enlarge it, by taking advantage of the season which then was at its best for insect collecting.
A series of long shelves has been built in the Pavilion between the Small-Mammal House and the Ostrich House, and thirty-five glass-fronted cages, together with a row of aquaria for aquatic specimens, were installed. A number of collecting trips were made into the country within a radius of twenty-five miles of the city, with such marked success, that by the middle of July the collection was pronounced by a number of visitors to equal in interest any exhibition of the kind heretofore attempted in this country, or in Europe. In view of the marked interest created by this display, the insect collection will hereafter be a permanent feature of the Park.
GIANT CENTIPEDE.
GIANT CENTIPEDE.
There are so many possibilities in exhibiting living insects that it is difficult to select groups to feature for the summer. Our efforts were first directed toward exhibiting a series of the different insects that sing, and also a series of species injurious to the interests of the agriculturists, together with a number of the insects that prey upon the noxious species. The collection of singing insects was a marked success and will hereafter be continued each summer.
We are gathering from both the Old World and the New, a fine collection of the larger silk moths. The cocoons will be shown on panels, and inasmuch as a number of the moths will be emerging daily, this exhibit should be instructive. During the winter the insect collection is made up largely of tropical species; and in this series we include the large bird-killing spiders, scorpions and centipedes, even though these creatures are not to be classified as true insects.
The collection of singing insects of the past summer was composed of the meadow locust, greater and lesser cone-headed locust, the Katy-did, broad-winged locust, field cricket, lesser field cricket, smooth-winged cricket and two species of the tree crickets. There were about five hundred specimens in the collection, and at times the noise made by them was so great that visitors had to shout to one another to make their own voices audible. The sounds coming from this collection varied according to the time of day. It was late in the afternoon, when the larger locusts commenced their singing (which continued throughout the night), and inasmuch as the strictly diurnal species were yet active, the insect chorus was quite vociferous.
It is only with considerable difficulty that singing insects are collected. The best time to capture them is atnight, when the collector stalks the loudest singers, and by approaching within definite investigating distance, can accurately locate the insects by bringing into use an electric flash-lamp. The glare of the light usually causes the insect to stop its calls, but it remains motionless upon a branch or leaf and may be grasped with a delicate pair of forceps, provided the movements of the collector’s arm are performed outside the rays of light. If the locust has become silent and cannot be detected when the light is thrown upon it, the collector simply switches off the light and remains quiet. In a few minutes the creature continues its song, when its exact location is again determined. In this way the night songsters of a big meadow are collected, one by one, and the collector leaves behind him a silent field that a few hours before resounded with the stridulations of the insect chorus.
TARANTULA.
TARANTULA.
RED-WINGED LOCUST.
RED-WINGED LOCUST.
HERCULES BEETLE.
HERCULES BEETLE.
Among the more interesting insects exhibited, in our series are to be found the walking-stick, the praying mantis, the huge red-winged locust of the South, the Egyptian scarab, the luminous beetle of Central and South America, and broods of silk worm. The life history of the mosquito will be permanently illustrated in a series of tanks, and adjoining these an exhibit of natural enemies of these pests.
The insect collection is supplied with interesting descriptive labels. During the latter part of spring it is removed from the Reptile House, where, during the winter the number of its cages are much reduced, and replaced in the quarters occupied during the summer.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ