RANA. 287 



places in Norfolk, which are undoubtedly the de- 

 scendants of a number imported from France and 

 Belgium in 1837, 1841, and 1842, and turned loose in 

 the fens at Foulden and in the neighbourhood. 



A great deal of discussion has taken place as to 

 whether the edible frog' is indigenous in Eno-land or 

 introduced ; and the balance of evidence seems to be 

 in favour of the latter supposition, although we do not 

 know when and by whom the Cambridgeshire and 

 Stow Bedon colonies were imported. The fact that 

 they belong to a race specially abundant in Itah r , 

 and formerly believed to be confined to that country, 

 has suggested the idea that they may be of Italian 

 origin, perhaps introduced by the monks. 



Within the last ten years large numbers of the 

 three forms have been imported from Brussels, Berlin, 

 and Italy, and liberated in various localities in West 

 Surrey and Hampshire. Berlin specimens (var. ridi- 

 bunda) have also been introduced in Bedfordshire and 

 Italian ones in Oxfordshire. 



Portuguese specimens of the var. ridibunda were 

 introduced in the Azores in the beginning of the 

 century, and have become perfectly acclimatised. 

 The presence of the frog in Madeira and the Canary 

 Islands is also said to be due to importation. 



Pis. XVI and XVII are reproduced from the Pro- 

 ceedings of the Zoological Society, 1884 and 1885. 

 The former represents a male and a female of the var. 

 ridibunda from the lakes near Berlin. The latter 

 represents on the right side, lower figure, a male 

 of the typical form from Foulden, Norfolk, and two 

 specimens of the var. lessonse., male and female, from 

 Stow Bedon, Norfolk. 



