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Amphibians and FROGS

Leopard Frog


A common animal that is used in the Biology lab has some uncommon qualities.

The biological order that contains frogs and toads is usually divided into 22 families. The families are divided based primarily on skeleton and tooth differences. The toads generally have drier skin, often covered with warts, and the majority spend most of their life on land. Toads have no teeth, but frogs have teeth on their upper jaws. Neither frogs or toads have teeth on their lower jaws.

Some of the most common North American frogs are the leopard frogs, which include a number of species and which are easily recognized by the numerous black, often light-edged, spots on the back and legs.Best known of these frogs are the Northern Leopard frog (Rana pipiens), and the Southern leopard frog (Rana utricularia). The leopard frog is a medium-size frog, 2 to 4 inches in body length (not counting the legs). It is the frog that is most often dissected in biology classes. The leopard frog is generally a nocturnal frog, but is found quite often in the open during the summer months. It is a good jumper that can leap up to 6 feet, about 15 times their body length. Its leap makes it very difficult to catch. It also has a unique defense mechanism that allows it to squirt a disagreeable smelling liquid into the face of its predators. This gives it time to quickly leap away.

The female frog will deposit as many as 5,000 eggs in elongated masses reaching up to 6 feet in length. These strands are attached to submerged vegetation such as cattails. The tadpoles hatch from the eggs in about 9 or 10 days. They begin to eat pond scum and weeds. As an adult the leopard frog will eat spiders, worms and crickets. Sight is the main sense used for finding its prey, but recent studies suggest that the leopard frog can locate prey by their sense of smell.

It was once said that 'the rabbit died,' when a pregnancy test came out positive. Rabbits were never used for pregnancy tests. In the 1940's it was discovered that African clawed frogs were reliable indicators of human pregnancy when injected with the urine of pregnant women. Later the American leopard frog replaced it. Eventually it was shown that any male frog was suitable.

Sources for the Amphibian - Frog series include:

Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians - Editors: Dr. Harold G. Cogger, Dr. Richard G,.Zweifel, Academid Press
Frogs - Text: David Badger, Photography: JohnNetherton; Voyageur Press
Groliers Encyclopedia
Microsoft(R) Encarta(R)
Encyclopedia Britanica

A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Proverbs 17:22 (NIV)

"What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but, scattered along life's pathway, the good they do is inconceivable."

Joseph Addison

 

In the supermarket, a man was pushing a cart which contained a screaming, yelling, bellowing baby.  The gentleman kept repeating softly such admonitions as, "Don't get excited, Albert," "Don't scream, Albert," "Don't yell, Albert," "Keep calm, Albert." 

A woman standing next to him said, "You certainly are to be commended for trying to soothe your son, Albert." 

The man looked at her and said, "He's not Albert; I'm Albert."

ZONDERVAN PUBLISHING HOUSE E-MAIL ALERT SERVICE Time To Smile

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I was going 70 miles an hour and got stopped by a cop who said, "Do you know the speed limit is 55 miles per hour?"

"Yes, officer, but I wasn't going to be out that long."

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Two women, who are dog owners, are arguing which dog is smarter.

First woman : My dog is so smart. Every morning he waits for a paper boy to come around and then he takes a newspaper and brings it to me.

Second woman : I know.         

First one : How?         

Second one : My dog told me.

Source: Wit and Wisdom

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NOTES ON DIETING

1. If you eat something, but no one else sees you eat it, it has no calories.

2. When drinking a diet soda while eating a candy bar, the calories in the candy bar are cancelled by the diet soda.

3. When you eat with someone else, calories don't count as long as you don't eat more than they do.

4. Foods used for medicinal purposes never count. e.g. hot chocolate, toast, Sara Lee cheesecake.

5. If you fatten up everyone else around you, then you look thinner.

6. Movie-related foods do not have calories because they are part of the entertainment package and not part of one's personal fuel. e.g. milk duds, buttered popcorn, junior mints and Tootsie Rolls.

7. Cookie pieces contain no calories. The process of breaking the cookie causes calorie leakage.

8. Late-night snacks have no calories. The refrigerator light is not strong enough for the calories to see their way into the calorie counter.

9. If you are in the process of preparing something, food licked off knives and spoons have no calories. e.g. peanut butter on a knife, ice cream on a spoon.

10.Food of the same color have the same number of calories. Examples are spinach and pistachio ice cream, mushrooms and white chocolate. Chocolate is a universal color and may be substituted for any other.

SOURCE: ZONDERVAN PUBLISHING HOUSE E-MAIL ALERT SERVICE  Time To Smile 

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          A teacher was testing a young student's math progress and    read the following problem:  "Michael delivers groceries.   One day he delivered three bags to Mrs. Brown, eight bags to           Mr. Gomez and four bags to Miss Harrison. How many bags did  Michael deliver that day?" 

Her student pondered a moment  and replied:  "All of them."

SOURCE: ZONDERVAN PUBLISHING HOUSE E-MAIL ALERT SERVICE  Time To Smile

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TRUE FACT ...

Humans begin laughing at two to three months of age. Six year olds laugh about 300 times per day, while adults laugh from 15 to 100 times per day.

SOURCE: NYT, Dr. William F. Fry, Stanford University

There are few problems in life that wouldn't be eased by the proper application of high explosives.

Daily Miscellany Comics

Have A Great Day !

Phillip Bower

Soul Food May 30
 

All the Rest May 30