Page:Early Spring in Massachusetts (1881).djvu/256

nature, or one who looked carefully, would notice it. It is the most highly and richly colored yet, ten or a dozen little rays at the end of the buds, which are at the ends and along the sides of the bare sterns. Some of the flowers are a light, some a dark, crimson. The high color of this minute, unobserved flower at this cold, leafless, and almost flowerless season! It is a beautiful greeting of the spring, when the catkins are scarcely relaxed and there are no signs of life in the bush. Moreover, they are so tender that I never get one home in good condition. They wilt and turn black. Tried to see the faint-croaking frogs at J. P. Brown's pond in the woods. They are remarkably timid and shy; had their noses and eyes out, croaking, but all ceased, dived, and concealed themselves, before I got within a rod of the shore. Stood perfectly still amid the bushes on the shore before one showed himself; finally five or six. All eyed me and gradually approached me within three feet to reconnoitre. Though I waited about half an hour, they would not utter a sound nor take their eyes off me, plainly affected by curiosity. Dark brown, and some, perhaps, dark green, about two inches long. Had their noses and eyes out when they croaked. If described at all, they must be either young of Rana pipiens or Rana palustris.