OCCURRENCE OF THE EDIBLE FROG IN SCOTLAND 163 



place last named the frogs were fairly numerous. I also 

 visited other localities, and although I saw plenty of spawn 

 I failed to find frogs. The animals were exceedingly wary 

 and difficult to secure. I saw no examples of the Common 

 Frog, R. temporaria. Of the other species I caught eleven 

 specimens. 



The occurrence of Rana esculenta in Scotland is not 

 without interest. Writing in 1839, Thomas Bell 1 says: 

 ; ' It has been long observed by several naturalists that a 

 species of frog exists in Scotland, distinct from the common 

 one ; and it has generally been referred to the Rana escnlenta, 

 or Edible Frog, of the continent of Europe. Thus Mr. Don, 

 in his account of the plants and animals found in Forfarshire, 

 mentions the Edible Frog as to be met with in the lakes of 

 that neighbourhood, although rather rare ; and both Shaw 

 and Pennant allude to it, the former as being ' rare in 

 England/ the latter simply incorporating it amongst his 

 British Reptiles, but without mentioning its locality ; and 

 Dr. Fleming merely observes that it is ' not so common as 

 the preceding.' In July 1833 Dr. Stark exhibited at the 

 Zoological Society a skeleton of the Scottish species, the 

 following meagre account of which, occurring in the Proceed- 

 ings of the Society, is all that remains of that gentleman's 

 observations : ' Dr. Stark exhibited the skeleton of the 

 Edible Frog, Rana esculenta (Linn.), and stated that this 

 species is found in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, whence 

 his specimen was obtained. He pointed out some of the 

 differences between its osseous structure and that of the 

 Common Frog, Rana temporaria (Linn.).' ' 



Bell himself examined this skeleton and compared it 

 with those of R. esculenta and tcmporaria, and concludes 

 by saying : " I think there can be no doubt that the present 

 species is distinct from the Common Frog, and that it is 

 certainly not R. esculenta. I am not aware of any other 

 species to which it can be referred, and I have therefore 

 assigned to it the specific name of Scotica provisionally. 

 In order, however, to afford an opportunity to Scottish 

 naturalists of comparing perfect and recent specimens with a 

 correct representation of R. esculenta, I give a figure of 



1 Bell, "British Reptiles," 1839, p. 102. 



