Queries and Answers, 20^ 



I believe, according to naturalists, they do not propagate till they are three 

 or four years old. Again, were they to die during the winter, how could 

 they be found in companies of several hundreds in the spring, and full 

 grown? — W. H. White. Bedford, Aprils. 1829. 



Distinction of Sex in Frogs, and whether it is the Male or Female thai 

 croaks. — As I have never been able to perceive any external distinction 

 between the sexes of frogs, I shall be glad if any of your correspondents 

 can inform me, whether the male impregnates the eggs before or after 

 emission. Also whether it is the male or female that croaks, and whether 

 they croak, according to the old adage, on the approach of wet weather, or 

 only at the time of spawning. I am. Sir, &c. — PT. H. White, H,M. C. S, 

 Bedford, April 3. 1829. 



A Jelly-like Substance supposed to he the Bemains of Frogs (in answer to 

 J. B. p. 103.). — Sir, I found a mass of this jelly last winter, together with the 

 bones of the animal whose flesh had been thus decomposed : I have been in- 

 formed that at night it is luminous, which is I think very probable. This sub- 

 stance has, I believe, been sometimes taken for a plant of the genus Trem^lla. 

 In Withering^ Botany, under the head of T. Nostoc, is the following notice of 

 it: — "After very severe frost, I have frequently found a gelatinous substance, 

 which from a careless observation might pass for a Tremella, but it is the 

 remains of frozen frogs. This substance does not shrivel up in dry weather 

 as the Tremella does, nor is it plaited and waved ; and^enerally some of 

 the bones of the frog may be found in it. After the severe winter of 1789, 

 I found great quantities of these on the edges and in the water of ponds." — 

 W. C. T. March, 1829. 



The Jelly-like Substance in which your correspondent B. (p. 103.) no-^ 

 ticed the remains of the head and feet of frogs, might probably be the 

 dung of the heron, as I have witnessed something similar by the sides of 

 ponds visited by those birds. — H. D. Richmond, March 25. 1829. 



Psalm-singing to Bees. — Sir, I have made every possible enquiry relative 

 to the custom of psalm-singing to bees (Vol.1, p. 303.), but have been 

 hitherto unsuccessful as to the particular circumstance stated, but I have 

 learnt from apiarians, that such custom does not prevail in this country, 

 and that the circumstance to which you alluded was an individual super- 

 ftition. 



The apiarians of Bedfordshire have a custom of ringing their swarms with 

 the house-door key, and the frying-pan, and if a swarm settles on another per- 

 son's premises, it is not recoverable by the owner, unless he can prove the 

 ringing, but it becomes the property of that person upon whose premises it 

 settles. — W. H. White. Bedford. 



Ants and Aphides, (p. 104.) — Sir, I have made some further observations 

 on the aphides found adhering to the root of the endive ; and I have been 

 much amused by watching them, and the ants attending them. I observed 

 that the ants first proceeded towards the head, or forepart of the aphis, and 

 with its head or forceps gently moved the body of the aphis, which imme- 

 diately commenced a rapid vibratory motion with the long legs proceeding 

 . from the centre of its body ; it also emitted, from the extreme point of the 

 abdomen, a pellucid drop of liquid which the ant greedily collected, and 

 again proceeded to agitate the body of the aphis; taking it gently up with 

 its forceps, and inducing it to emit another discharge of liquid. The aphis 

 did not seem to dislike their operations, nor did it attempt to avoid the 

 ant, but continued to feed quietly. Other ants were similarly employed, 

 whilst others, 1 observed, disengaged the aphides from the root of the 

 plants to which they adhered, and carried them to their subterraneous 

 abode. Though the aphides made considerable resistance, and in point of 

 size were equal, and often superior, to the ant, yet by perseverance and 

 greater strength, they were conveyed struggling at every step to the strong 

 hold of the ant. I removed an aphis some distance from the endive root, 



