Distant Orientation in the Amphibia

Abstract

ROMANES, in his book on “Animal Intelligence”, suggests that frogs have a distinct idea of locality, and he also expresses the opinion that frogs are able to perceive moisture from a great distance. One of his correspondents found that frogs removed from their habitual haunts for 200 or 300 yards returned to them again and again. Romanes quotes Warden, who, in his “Account of the United States”, says that when a pond containing a number of frogs dried up, the animals made straight for the next water, though it was 8 kilometres away. During the spring of 1910 I made a series of experiments, which have been continued this year, withthe view of settling how newts are able to find their way back to water when they have once left it or have been removed from it. Working with the Palmate newt (Molge pálmata, Schneid.), I got no evidence of a faculty for the perception of moisture at a distance, and in order to explain the spring migrations of the newt it is unnecessary to presuppose its presence, because I certainly think there is a small homing faculty. My results directly point to this. Romanes gives no details, and more information onthis question would be welcomed before I draw up a full account of the experiments. The subject has an important bearing on the psychology of the Amphibia, and must form when elucidated an interesting chapter in their natural history; yet the reference in Romanes is the only one I can find.