n] THE COMMON FROG. ii 



CHAPTER II. 



Before passing on to an enumeration of the sub- 

 ordinate groups of the sub-kingdom Vertebrata, we 

 may first revert to our subject, the Frog, and make 

 further acquaintance with it. 



, The cornmon Frog of this country belongs to the 

 S^enus Raika, and it is the species Temporaria, there- 

 fore its scientific name is Rana temporaria. It is 

 common in Ireland, as well as in England and Scot- 

 land, and is indeed the most widely distributed species 

 of the frog-order, being found throughout the north 

 temperate regions of both the Old and New Worlds. 

 It is found over nearly the whole of Europe ; in 

 Africa north of the Sahara, and in Egypt ; in Northern 

 Asia, including Japan and Chusan, and it is also 

 spread over North America. It is not found in the 

 northern half of Scandinavia, nor in Iceland. 



Except in winter, the common Frog is generally in 

 England so familiar an object, that any description of 

 it might seem superfluous. The purpose in view, 

 however, renders it needful at least to recall certain 

 external structural characters both of the adult and 

 the immature condition. 



