NOTES ON THE FROa. 63 



you remain perfectly still, they soon re-appear, and venture again to the 

 surface. In very cold weather — during summer — they keep to the bottom, or 

 shelter beneath the roots of rushes and other aquatic plants, where I have 

 found them often huddled together in considerable numbers. The cry of a 

 poor frog, when hurt, or in the jaws of an enemy, is piteous in the extreme. 

 We have often read very curious notices of creatures putting on an apparent 

 semblance of death — now I am inclined to think that this feature is oftener 

 the paralysis attendant on fear Last June, I caught a large frog at Moor- 

 town, tied it carefully up in a pocket handkerchief, and carried it some little 

 distance in my hand. On looking at the poor captive again, it was quite 

 motionless, and to all appearance dead ; I felt truly sorry, but still had the 

 inward satisfaction of thinking that it could not have arisen from rough 

 treatment — I laid it on the grass — still no signs of animation appeared — a 

 little brook was close at hand — I put it in — and, in a short time, had the 

 gratification of seeing it swim briskly away. It would seem that they take 

 food under water; for I remember, when very young, going on an angling 

 expedition to some ponds at Wistow ; our tackling, it must be confessed, was 

 somewhat primitive, being a straight willow with a yard or two of thread at 

 the end, armed with a crooked pin baited with a writhing worm. The sport 

 began in good earnest, and quite to our satisfaction; several sticklebacks 

 were speedily transferred from their own roomy pool, to sicken and die 

 within the narrow limits of an old doctor's bottle ; but what cared we about 

 such thoughts. "Hurrah — another bite — it's a big 'un this time," said one 

 precocious youth, and a big one it was too, and no mistake ; not a big fish 

 however, but a "thundering big" frog — the rod was thrown down instantei', 

 and away we all scampered through very fear. One of our party put on a 

 bold and valiant front — returned— and at a respectful distance, we saw him 

 extract the barbarous hook and let the captive free. This is not a solitary 

 instance of their taking bait under water; I have heard other anglers relate 

 similar reminiscences. The colour of frogs is remarkably varied ; we meet 

 with them of all shades, from a light yellow to a dusky brown, apparently 

 uninfluenced by temperature. This feature affords matter for curious specu- 

 lation, being as yet, I believe, unexplained. 



There is another circumstance too I must not pass over, that of frogs 

 occuring in blocks of coal and stone.* In such situations, some few have 

 unquestionably been discovered; but we should be on our guard against 

 deception, curiosities of this sort having lately become common, at least in 

 Yorkshire— arrant forgeries, — but still displaying sufiicient ingenuity to de- 

 ceive the unwary. It is surprising to note the various shifty expedients that 

 the animal man will resort to, in pursuit of gain. A newspaper paragraph 

 perhaps furnishes us with a marvellous story concerning some antediluvian 



* Gentlemans' Magazine, vol. Ixxxviii., p. 264; do., vol. Ixxviii., p. 224. Histoi-y of Fossil Fuel, p. 107. 

 Chambei's's Edinburgh Journal, new series, vol. x., p. 39. 



