THE ALASKAN FLYING FROG
/u Treatise/
/by George T* Masury/
For many years the bull frog of Canada and the United States was
considered the giant of the genus ranidae or frog family* It has, how
ever, been surpassed in.size by the discovery of a hitherto unknown
specie, the flying frog, or to use its scientific cognomen, rana raeskit,
so named in honor of its discover, Prof* l.!*X<.Meskit, S*0*L*, B*V*D*,
P. D.Q.,'*B*T.C. .
The flying frog measures 14^ inches from snout to vent, and has
the webbing between its toes extended from'it s little toe its front
feet to its hind feet and attached to the sides of its body, similar in
manner'to the skin of the flying squirrel* This curious batrachian lives
high up in the air making it s 'home iii the cirro stratus clouds* These
clouds, as we all know, consist of minute crystals of ice instead of
fine paticles of water* Upon the upper hard surface of these clouds, they
bear and hatch their young, using watchful care that the little frogs
do not fall off the clouds* If such an accident should happen, the
ever watchful male parent immediately sails from the cloud, zooms below
the falling young one and catches it on its back and returns it to its
home cloud- rIhe female in the mean time watches the proceedings and
croaks loudly, joined by all the other female flying frogs in the vicin
ity
Professor II* T* Meskit states it was only by an accident that he
discovered the habitat of the Alaskan Flying Froig, and was able to make
known its life and customs to the scientific world* Vfoile exploring
Mount St* Elias near the Halaspina Glacier in S.^,Alaska, he, after
days of laborious struggle neared' the cloud encircled top of the mountain,
a large cirro stratus cloud was approaching. It passed so close to the
mountain top that Prof. Me skit reached his hand out and grasped the edge
of it; a small piece the siz.e of a dinnerplate broke off i:i his hand.
Examining this peioo of cloud ho was astounded to find three young frogs
gazing solomrtly at hirir He immediately stared at the cloud that had
passed and saw a dark object ail away from it toward him. It circled
about him and with a graceful swoop made a perfect landing at his feet,
Setting the piece of clcud down, he picked the bird-like object up and so
discovered the Alaskan Flying Frog. tossing it into the air, the frog
caught its balance, nose dived to 'Che ground, the three little frogs jiimp
ed on its bad: and *ere returned to the home cloud then about a mile away.
Professor iieskit remained there for several weeks studying his new
discovery and making copious not es, 'thus giving to u s this new batrachian.
Ihe cirro stratus clouds often dropping into the low, warm levels,
are melted, thus dropping all the littlefrcgs toward the ground, which ex
plains the reason, hitherto unknown, why mail frogs are seen so often
after a rain. Hie large flying frogs, having th&ir skin webbing fully
grown, are able to sa.il to other clouds, thus enabling them to keep the
existence of the ALaskan Frying Frog prior to their discovery by Prof.
Meskit, unknown to us all.
It is understood that the Army planes now encircling* the world
will make several landings on the cirro stratus clouds above Alaska to
furtiier study this strange batrachian, 'Che Alaskan Flying Frog.
POST ENJOY IMG AITOTHEIb FLOREY OF SN017:
Our absent friends will congratulate themselves that they
are in sunnier climes when they learn that the post, after a month of
bare parade ground and spring weather, has had mother flurry of snow
which has spsaad five inches of the white precipitate on the sidewalks.
3ut we are sourdoughs, and its all in a lifetime.
ij