of Bermuda's greatest natural mysteries.

And their work could have worldwide implications for the future of mankind.

Dr. Donald Linzey of Wytheville Community College, Virginia and Dr. Hinrich Kaiser, a research scientist working at La Sierra University in California, are both here to study the Island's declining populations of tree frogs and toads.

Dr. Linzey, who has been studying the falling population since 1995, will be carrying out tests to discover if heavy metals or pesticides are responsible for killing the reptiles off.

He believes the plight of frogs and toads could act as an indicator of what sort of dangers the human population could face in the future.

Dr. Kaiser, who is in Bermuda for the first time, hopes to discover whether a rarer species of tree frog -- supposedly an Island dweller since the turn of the century -- has ever really lived here.

Dr. Linzey said: "Whatever is affecting the amphibians could affect humans in 20 years or so. Amphibians are serving as an indicator species.

"We haven't been able to find one of the whistling tree frogs that you hear which is why I asked Dr. Kaiser to come from California as he can recognise them by sight.'' Dr. Kaiser, who has been studying frogs for the last ten years, said: "What is really intriguing is to find out if there really is two species of tree frog on the Island.

"The more common one, the Johnstonei, was brought here in the 1880s and the rarer one was meant to have come here in 1910.

"It's possible that people could have made a mistake in identifying the frogs. The question is have there always been two species of tree frog or was there only ever one and people have made a mistake when the colouration has been slightly different?'' Although research work on declining frog populations is being carried out all over the world, Dr. Linzey believes Bermuda offers the best location for study.

"It's an ideal place to work in,'' he said. "You get wind currents coming over from the US for six months of the year and then for the rest of the year you don't have any pesticides or anything in the air currents.

"It's very much a long term project. We have 15 study sites all over the Island and we are also taking soil samples and testing water acidity and salinity.'' Dr. Kaiser will be presenting a lecture on his findings at the Aquarium tonight at 8 p.m.

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