NOTES ON THE FROG. 7 



years. We may often notice, during the late autumn months, young 

 Frogs, which, as cokl weather draws on and food becomes scarce, must 

 be compelled to look out for eligible winter lodgings ; such specimens 

 could with ease creep through these narrow passages. But, I must then 

 ask, — do they grow rapidly during torpidity? If so, the many instances 

 recorded of Frogs and Toads being found in the hearts of trees * are 

 more readily accounted for on the supposition, that they have crept 

 through some small hole, and grown too corpulent to get out again ; than 

 that the bark of the tree should have expanded during winter, and entirely 

 closed the entrance. But no doubt, some of your more observant and 

 better informed correspondents can furnish other notes respecting this 

 query. 



Their reanimation, towards the close of winter, depends in some measure 

 on temperature ; but no sooner are they called to life, than the great work 

 of multiplication commences ; their ci-oaking is heard on every side ; and 

 if a ramble should lead us to the side of some clear pool, we find it full 

 of animation, with 



"Amorous Frogs, in clusters firinely bounde." 



This " gendering," as the country folk about here call it, sometimes takes 

 place very early, as the following extract from my laide calendar will 

 testify : — ■ 



"Feb. \st., 1852. f — Fine mild day — clear, deep blue sky. Swarms of 

 midges merrily sporting about the dry ferny banks. Skylarks singing most 

 beautifully on Blackmoor; heard the redbreast, wren, and hedge-sparrow 

 too. Frogs spawning in a ditch near Verity's house, at Pennyfynon, 

 (vulgarly called Pennyfun, i. e., found.) I never noticed this so early 

 before ; the avei'age period, according to my observations, being from the 

 latter end of February to the middle of March. Gilbert White's earliest 

 record is Feb. 9th." 



The eggs are generally hatched in about five weeks after being deposited ; 

 and before the middle of April, we are sure to obsei've mj'iiads of little 

 Tadpoles wriggling away in every ditch. In this state the Newt preys on 

 them ; and great numbers perish, particularly in a dry spring, by the 

 water evaporating : so that, out of 1400 eggs, which De Montbeillard I 

 informs us a single Frog will spawn, perhaps not one-sixth of that number 

 arrive at maturity; and these have enemies in the shape of rats,§ mice, 

 snakes, ducks, and many other birds, and lastly — man, who, in his ignorance 

 of their good services, will still persist in destroying them. 



• Mag. Nat. Hist, vol. vi., p. 459. 



+ My caleAdar indicates the winter of 1851—2 as haviny been a mild one. 



* Diet Classique d' Hist. Nat., vol. vii., p. 495. 

 } Mag. Nat Hist,, vol. v., p. 490. 



