when a crested flycatcher weaves a long
snake-skin into the fabric of its nest, it seems more from the standpoint
of a curio collector--as some people delight in old worn brass and blue
china! There is another if less artistic theory for this peculiarity of
the crested flycatcher. The skin of a snake--a perfect ghost in its
completeness--would make a splendid "bogie." We can see that it might,
indeed, be useful in such a way, as in frightening marauding crows,
who approach with cannibalistic intentions upon eggs or young. Thus
the skin would correspond in function to the rows of dummy wooden
guns, which make a weak fort appear all but invincible.

POLLIWOG PROBLEMS

The ancient Phoenicians, Egyptians, Hindus, Japanese, and Greeks all
shared the belief that the whole world was hatched from an egg made by the
Creator. This idea of development is at least true in the case of every
living thing upon the earth to-day; every plant springs from its seed,
every animal from its egg. And still another sweeping, all-inclusive
statement may be made,--every seed or egg at first consists of but one
cell, and by the division of this into many cells, the lichen, violet,
tree, worm, crab, butterfly, fish, frog, or other higher creature is
formed. A little embryology will give a new impetus to our studies,
whether we watch the unfolding leaves of a sunflower, a caterpillar
emerging from its egg, or a chick breaking through its shell.

The very simplest and best way to begin this study is to go to the nearest
pond, where the frogs have been croaking in the evenings. A search among
the dead leaves and water-soaked sticks will reveal a long string of black
beads. These are the eggs of the toad; if, however, the beads are not in
strings, but in irregular masses, then they are frogs' eggs. In any case
take home a tumblerful, place a few, together with the thick, transparent
gelatine, in which they are encased, in a saucer, and examine them
carefully under a good magnifying glass, or, better still, through a
low-power microscope lens.

You will notice that the tiny spheres are not uniformly coloured but that
half is whitish. If the eggs have been recently laid the surface will be
smooth and unmarked, but have patience and watch them for as long a time
as you can spare. Whenever I can get a batch of such eggs, I never grudge
a whole day spent in observing them, for it is seldom that the mysterious
processes of life are so readily wa