nd broken ground, till they join the
wide-spreading plains, generally stretching far as the eye can reach,
and hundreds of miles beyond--a sea of barrenness, vast and dismal. A
hurricane blows clouds of white snowy dust across the desert, resembling
the smoke of bonfires, roaring and raving through the pines on the
mountain-top, filling the air with snow and broken branches, and piling
it in huge drifts against the trees.

The perfect solitude of this vast wilderness is appalling. From our
lofty post on the mountain-top, we obtain a view over the rugged and
chaotic masses of the stupendous chain, and the vast deserts which
stretch away far from its eastern base; while on all sides are broken
ridges and chasms and ravines, with masses of piled-up rocks and
uprooted trees, with clouds of drifting snow flying through the air, and
the hurricane's roar battling through the forest at our feet adding to
the wildness of the scene, which is unrelieved by the slightest vestige
of animal or human life.

THE HORNED FROG.

We must now pass in review some of the numerous animals which inhabit
these regions. In some of the mountain plateaux, among the cactuses and
sand-heaps, we find that singularly-made animal known vulgarly as the
Texan toad or horned frog--a name which in no way properly belongs to
him, as he is more nearly related to the lizards and salamanders. He
lives as contentedly on the hot baked prairies of Texas, as amongst
their snow-surrounded heights; though, from his appearance, we should
expect to see him basking under a semi-tropical sun, rather than in this
region. Yet here he lives, and must often have to spend much of his
time under the snow. These toads, as the creatures are called, have
brown backs, white bellies, small twinkling black eyes, set in
almond-shaped slits, enclosed by two dark marks of the same shape. This
has the effect of enlarging the eye, and giving it a soft look like that
of the antelope. The two retro-curved horns, which rise out of bony
sockets above the eyes, add still more to this odd resemblance.

The skin of the back and the long stiff tail, instead of being warted
like the true toad's upper surface, is set with thorny excrescences.
That of the lower surface is a dry tough tissue, almost horny. Whether
this armour is given him to defend himself from the rattlesnake, it is
difficult to say. The creature itself is of a peaceable disposition;
and so unwilling is he to fight, t