111.] THE COMMON FROi 



CHAPTER III. 



To prosecute successfully our inquiry "What is a 

 Frog ? " it will be well now to make acquaintance 

 with the more remarkable forms contained in its 

 Order, after which, by considering the other Batra- 

 chian orders, we may arrive at a certain appreciation 

 of its Class. 



The Frog's own genus (Rana), which contains about 

 40 species, has its head-quarters in the East Indies 

 and in Africa, but extends over all the great regions 

 of the world, except Australia and parts more 

 southerly still and except countries situate above 66" 

 north latitude. In South America, however, but a 

 single species is as yet known to exist. 



Amongst the largest species are Rana tigrma, of 

 India, and the Indian Archipelago, and the bull-frog 

 {R. Mugiens) of North America. The latter animal 

 may often be seen in the Gardens of the Zoological 

 Society, where it is fed on small birds — a sparrow 

 being easily engulphed within its capacious jaws. 



The Edible Frog, par excellence {R. escnlenta), is 



