Is the Coleman Frog a Boy or a Girl?

The Coleman Frog, Fredericton’s famous amphibian of local history, has been affectionately referred to as Cornelius Webster for the last two decades. But is our Cornelius actually a Cornelia?

The Question:
Elspeth Burris, our Manager of Education and Interpretation, was posed an interesting question while giving a school tour. A curious young man, questioning the use of “he”, asked how we knew whether the frog was a boy or a girl. With this simple question, the mystery of the Coleman Frog’s gender identity was born.

Boy or Girl?: Investigating the Coleman Frog
The Coleman frog is a bullfrog, the largest breed of frog found in North America. While the Coleman frog reached 42 pounds in weight (due to his/her love of whiskey and cornmeal), the average bullfrog usually weighs just over a pound.

There are several ways to tell whether bullfrogs are male or female. One is their chirping calls. The male frogs make these croaking noises to try to attract females. Unfortunately, the Coleman frog has remained silent for well over 100 years. The second way of telling whether a bullfrog is male or female is by the colour of the underside of their chin. The males have a bright yellow underside, and the females have a lighter coloured underside. Due to age of the Coleman Frog, and the repairs done to it, it is almost impossible to tell the true colour of Cornelius’ chin.

The final way to tell whether a bullfrog is male or female is by the size of the tympanic membrane. This membrane acts as an ear, and is the large circular spot located on the side of a frogs head. On male frogs, the membrane is significantly larger than the eye, while on female frogs, the membrane is approximately the same size as the eye. On our friend the Coleman Frog, the membrane is the same size as the eye socket, leading to one conclusion…

It’s a Girl!
Congratulations Fredericton Region Museum, you are now the proud guardian of a big baby girl. Cornelia Webster is officially welcomed to the Museum as the legendary pet of Fred Coleman.

You can visit and learn about Cornelia at the Fredericton Region Museum Tuesday-Saturday between 1-4 p.m. until the end of June. Or come visit her this summer (starting July 1^st), any day of the week between 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. We “hop” to see you soon!

 

Biological and frog information provided by:

Bruening, Sandra, Cynthia Sims Parr, and Allison Poor. “North American Bullfrog.” BioKids University of Michigan, 2013. Accessed June 15, 2013. http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Rana_catesbeiana/

The 104th Regiment of Foot’s Trek in Madawaska – Winter 1813

 

Image: “La grande marche/The Unforgettable March”, huile/oil, 12×24, par/by Pauline Morneault

Fredericton , NB (June 7, 2013) – On Wednesday June 12^th at 5 p.m. the Fredericton Region Museum will be hosting “The 104^th Regiment of Foot’s Trek in Madawaska – Winter 1813” Exhibition. The Exhibit displays ten unique paintings highlighting the work of La Société culturelle Saint-Basile, and acts as the only existing depiction of the 104^th Regiment’s march through New Brunswick. The paintings will be on display at the Museum until the end of June.

In partnership with PICAROONS TRADITIONAL ALES and the 104th REGIMENT Brown Ale, the exhibit celebrates New Brunswick’s participation in the War of 1812, applying a New Brunswick interpretation to the 200^th anniversary of the Regiment’s passage through Madawaska. A. Fred White, York Sunbury Historical Society President, conveys the excitement of the event, noting, “We are so happy to host and display the enthusiastic work of the Madawaska artists.  Their work perfectly captures the essence of the soldiers.”

The 104th REGIMENT Brown Ale marks the first in a series of New Brunswick commemorative and historical beers PICAROONS TRADITIONAL ALES will brew in the coming years in the sentiment of teaching people about New Brunswick’s history in the best way they know how; through beer.

Picaroons will be partnering with the Fredericton Region Museum and donating twenty-five cents from each and every bottle of the 104th REGIMENT Brown Ale to the Museum.  Mr. White notes, “the excitement from the Picaroons partnership adds greatly to the event!”  This represents the first in a series of partnerships between PICAROONS TRADITIONAL ALES and historical institutions in New Brunswick. The 104th REGIMENT will only be around until which time when Picaroons brews its next commemorative beer in the series.

The event seeks to recognize those participating in promoting the history of New Brunswick. Mr. White “would like to recognize Goose Lane’s publications on the War of 1812,” as well as the work of La Société culturelle Saint-Basile, and Picaroons.

Upcoming Children’s Event at Fredericton Region Museum

The New Brunswick Branch of the Monarchist League of Canada, in partnership with the Fredericton Region Museum, is hosting a fun-filled afternoon of royal-themed children’s activities in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation.

Taking place at the Museum from 1 to 4 PM on Saturday, June 1st, this FREE event is open to children of all ages. Activities will include a scavenger hunt, matching games, colouring contest, crown making, as well as an opportunity to write your very own letter to the Queen, and photo stations where kids are encouraged to pose with or dress up as royalty. Snacks will also be provided.

For more information, please contact the Monarchist League at communications@monarchistnb.ca or 454-9589.

International Museum Day with the Seaspray Lace Guild

English: Making bobbin lace in Dubrovnik (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

May 18^th is International Museum Day and the Fredericton Region Museum will be celebrating with the Seaspray Lace Guild!

They will be demonstrating the art of pillow or bobbin lace at the museum from 1 to 4pm.  Come and try your hand or watch the lace makers at work on their pillows.  See what crossing and twisting thread can make.

For more information about this beautiful art, visit the Seaspray website.

ADMISSION BY DONATION – MAY 18TH ONLY!!

Children’s Programs at the Fredericton Region Museum!

This summer, the Fredericton Region Museum has lots of fun children’s programs lined up! They will be taking place every Tuesday and Thursday (2:00-4:00) throughout July and August, with a different exciting theme each week! Each program has a cost of $5.00 per child. 

Canadian Secret Agents
Age: 5+
Dates: July 2nd & 4th, 2013
Sign up to become a Canadian spy from World War II. Learn about Camp X, Canada’s secret spy school, and real Canadian secret agents. Undergo some spy training and partake in a mission!

Queen Victoria’s Underpants
Age: 5+
Dates: July 9th & 11th, 2013
Hear the story of Queen Victoria and her role in making underwear so popular. Learn about the history of underwear and make some paper dolls to take home!

Hop into History
Age: 5+
Dates: July 16th & 18th, 2013
Visit our most popular frog at the museum! Listen to stories about the Coleman Frog, play games, and make some fun crafts.

Chocolate Bar Wars
Age: 5+
Dates: July 23rd & 25th, 2013
All based around the history of the Fredericton chocolate bar wars of 1945! Children will learn about the chocolate bar boycotting done by Fredericton’s youngest generation, and will even get to make their own chocolate bars to take home!

History of Toys
Age: 5+
Dates: July 30th & August 1st, 2013
Come and see our collection of toys at the museum and make some old-fashioned toys to take home!

War of 1812
Age: 5+
Dates: August 6th & 8th, 2013
Learn about New Brunswick’s role in the War of 1812 and make a cool craft to take home!

A Fashionable History of Make-Up and Body Decoration
Age: 5+
Dates: August 13th & 15th, 2013
Discover what people have considered beautiful throughout history. Also learn about how people have used war paint, face painting, and tattoos.

A History of Fashionable Hairstyles
Age: 5+
Dates: August 20th & 22nd, 2013
Hairstyles of men and women have changed over the years. Come explore the history of hairstyles and of course moustaches and wigs!

Become a Curator
Age: 12+
Dates: August 27th & 29th, 2013
Hands-on cataloguing program for children – Learn what it means to be a museum curator and how to handle artefacts!

Follow this link to register your kids for any of these awesome programs! http://www.frederictonregionmuseum.com/content/218155

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us by phone at (506)455-6041 or by e-mail at yorksunbury@nb.aibn.com

Fredericton Region Museum’s 6th Annual Colouring Contest

Thank you, Joshua, for colouring a sword plate picture to use on the blog!

In commemoration of New Brunswick’s role in the War of 1812, the Fredericton Region Museum and the York Sunbury Historical Society are having a colouring contest.  Children are invited to colour a picture of a Sword Belt Plate that belonged to Lieutenant William Barry Phair of the 104^th Regiment and courtesy of the New Brunswick Museum. Children may also colour picture of a member of the 104^th based on a work by artist, Derek Fitz James.

Prizes will be awarded on the basis of creativity to children in the following age groups:

A) Preschool  B) Kindergarten through Grade 2  C) Grade 3 through Grade 5

1) Print and colour a page (or pick one up at the museum).
2) Fill out your name, grade/age, and phone number on the back of the page. (Please be careful not to include any personal information, such as name or phone number on the front of the page as the artwork will be displayed at the museum).
3) Drop your masterpiece off at the museum for a chance to win some great prizes!

The contest runs from May 4 through July 1, 2013.  Entries will be on display at the museum during the contest and up to a week after.  Winners will have two weeks after notification to pick up their prize.  The contest is not open to employees of the Fredericton Region Museum or their immediate family.

104th Soldier Download (PDF – 1206 kb)

104th Sword Plate Download (PDF 529 kb)

Local Artist Publishes History Picture Book

Sheffield: A Place in Time by Linda J. Bartlett

Linda J. Bartlett is excited to announce the upcoming publication of her book, Sheffield:  A Place in Time in May 2013.  The self-published book showcases over 60 original works of art illustrating the built heritage of Sheffield, New Brunswick.

Linda has been painting for more than forty years.  She received her training from the Saint John Vocational school, where she nurtured her passion for painting.  Her favoured subjects include historical locations in New Brunswick, architectural subjects and countryside landscapes.  Her interest in New Brunswick history and the 250th anniversary of this area are the inspiration for this publication.  Contact the Fredericton Region Museum for more information.

The books will be $12 each and available for purchase from Linda, at the Fredericton Region Museum (571 Queen Street, Fredericton) or by mail order with postage charges extra.