ent with the internal exhibition afforded by his smile.

[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]

With the distinction of residence in the main court of the reptile-house
itself, as also with the knowledge of its rarity, the Smooth-clawed
Frog sets no small value on himself. He lives in water perpetually, and
is always bobbing mysteriously about in it with his four-fingered hands
spread out before him. This seems to me to be nothing but a vulgar
manifestation of the Smooth-clawed Frog's self-appreciation. He is like
a coster conducting a Dutch auction, except that it is himself that he
puts up for the bids of admiring visitors. With his double bunch of four
fingers held eagerly before him he says--or means to say--"'Ere--eight!
Ain't that cheap enough? Eight! Going at eight. Who says eight? Now
then--eight; for a noble frog like me!" Presently, he wriggles a little
in the water, as though vexed at the slackness of offers; then he drops
one of the hands and leaves the other outstretched. "'Ere--four!
Anythink to do business. Four! Nobody say four? Oh, blow this!" and with
a jerk of one long paddle he dives among the weeds. "Them shiny-lookin'
swells ain't got no money!" is what I am convinced he reports to
his friends.

The Smooth-clawed Frog has lately begun to breed here, a thing before
unknown; so that his rarity and value are in danger of depreciation. But
such is his inordinate conceit of himself that I am convinced he will
always begin the bidding with eight.

[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration: "HAPPY?"]
[Illustration: "I AM HAPPY."]
[Illustration: "WHY SHOULDN'T I BE HAPPY?"]
[Illustration: "THE SOCIETY LODGES ME."]
[Illustration: "TYRRELL FEEDS ME."]
[Illustration: "NO EXPENSE TO ME, YOU KNOW."]
[Illustration]
[Illustration: "GOOD DAY TO YOU."]

If you rejoice in the sight of a really happy, contented frog, you
should stand long before White's Green Frog, and study his smile. No
other frog has a smile like this; some are wider, perhaps, but that is
nothing. A frog is ordained by Nature to smile much, but the smile seems
commonly one of hunger merely, though often one of stomach-ache. White's
Green Frog smiles broad content and placid felicity. Maintained in
comfort, with no necessity to earn his living, this is probably natural;
still, the bison enjoys the same advantages, although nobody ever