THE COMMON FROG. 55 



the mouth of a frog, toad, or newt you will see the actual eye- 

 ball naked, and occupying considerable space on each side of the 

 roof. The eyes are furnished with three lids, one of the lower 

 lids being a semi-transparent, nictitating membrane. 



After any effort in swallowing— as, for example, some unusually 

 large or rough food — you will see this membrane drawn over the 

 eye. All the Batrachians that I have watched under such circum- 

 stances, viz., frogs, toads, and newts, hold up thejr heads, half 

 close their eyes with the lids working in apparent discomfort ; but 

 probably from the fact of their eye-balls being exposed in the 

 mouth, large-sized or rough prey does somewhat discomfort them. 



The action of the eyelids in both frog and toad was particularly 

 manifest when, under forcible detention, first one and then the 

 other, wrapped tightly in a thick cloth, was having the interior 

 of its mouth examined. To hurt them as little as possible, I 

 took a fine silver bodkin with which to force open their mouths. 

 The little animals use extraordinary force in closing their jaws at 

 such times. Froggin got his arms out and tried to push it away ; 

 the toad was too tightly swathed ; but when at last the mouth 

 was got open and held open with the bodkin, as a bit, the 

 piteous, lachrymose expression of their eyes, especially the toad's, 

 was so martyr-like as to be even laughable. All the three eyelids 

 were alternately working. The operation over, and the patients at 

 liberty, both took some time to recover the outrage and to reclose 

 their mouth, holding up their heads and blinking their eyes 

 helplessly and piteously, till at last each cautiously retreated to 

 a cherished hiding-place. It was curious to note the ingenuity 

 those two would display in finding a fresh hiding-place when 

 their temper was too much tried ; but within narrow limits the 

 secret retreat was soon discovered. Froggin, fond of climbing, 

 and having the advantage of the toad in being able to take a 

 high leap, had wider choice, and would in brighter moods be 

 found perched on the handle of the watering-pot, or a basket, on 

 the edge of the pots and flower-boxes, or on ledges. He seemed 

 to take each by turn, always, however, true to his corner in 

 peaceable times. What efforts he made towards self-maintenance 

 are very doubtful. I never saw him take any food not placed 

 close to him, though frogs are supposed, and expected to be very 

 useful in reducing garden pests. Near the outside door was a 

 little well or pit of unpaved floor, about sixteen inches square, 

 intended for drainage, but filled with earth and rubbish, a very 

 store-house of batrachian food. In this moist earth Froggin, 

 when the toad was not in possession, occasionally buried him- 

 self, always working himself backwards and downwards with 



