COMMON FROG. 107 
common one, and it has generally been referred to the 
Rana esculenta, or Edible Frog of the continent of Europe. 
Thus Mr. Don, in his account of the Plants and Animals 
found in Forfarshire, mentions the Edible Frog as to be 
met with in the lakes of that neighbourhood, although 
rather rare ; and both Shaw and Pennant allude to it, the 
former as being “rare in England,” the latter simply in- 
corporating it amongst his British Reptiles, but without 
mentioning its locality ; and Dr. Fleming merely observes 
that it is ‘‘not so common as the preceding.” In July 
1833, Dr. Stark exhibited at the Zoological Society a 
skeleton of the Scottish species, the following meagre ac- 
count of which, occurring in the Proceedings of the So- 
ciety, is all that remains of that gentleman’s observations. 
“ Dr. Stark exhibited the skeleton of the Edible Frog, 
Rana esculenta (Linn.), and stated that this species is 
found in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, whence his 
specimen was obtained. He pointed out some of the 
differences between its osseous structure and that of the 
Common Frog, Rana temporaria, Linn.” 
Thus one observer after another has gone on, each copy- 
ing the error of his predecessor, until Mr. Jenyns sug- 
gested the probability that the species described as R. 
esculenta, by the only two persons who have assigned any 
locality for it, may possibly be a new one. Pennant 
describes a Frog under the name of the “ Great Frog,” 
as a native of the woods near Loch Ransa in the Isle of 
Arran; but he does not give any authority, and from his 
description, which, however, is very slight, there is no 
doubt that the animal was nothing more than the Common 
Toad. 
Being naturally anxious to ascertain so interesting a 
point, I determined upon procuring all the information in 
