Peter: Thanks for the link, which I promise to investigate. Still, I don’t want to get my tadpoles by mail order–I’m no crunchy con, but there’s something to be said for taking the kids down to the local pond or swamp (oops! I mean “wetland”) and netting a few of the little critters in person. This is what I did back in my own elementary school days. One potential problem: A friend informs me that it’s against Virginia law to capture animals “native” to the state, including the most mundane frogs and toads. So maybe I’ll teach my kids not only about amphibian metamorphosis, but also inculcate a healthy skepticism of government. Can’t start too soon, right?