FROGS. a7 
of gas, which has been generated because of some decomposition, | 
it floats upon the surface of the water. 
The hatching and life of the tadpole have already been 
described. During the latter part of spring portions of many of 
our ponds, pools, the sides of slow-running rivers and streams 
are literally black with the crowding together of thousands of 
tadpoles. And indeed, if it were not for their numerous foes 
these Batrachians would become a veritable plague. The word 
“plague” in this connection reminds me of the following, which 
I venture to relate: Some time ago | was examining my young 
son and his cousin as to their knowledge of Old Testament history. 
I was asking questions about the plagues of Egypt, and wanted 
the boys to mention them in their proper order. As they could 
not tell me what plague came before that of Frogs, I turned to my 
little daughter, five years of age, who was listening, but not being 
examined, and asked her the question, when she immediately 
replied, to both my astonishment and amusement, “Why, the 
plague of tadpoles, of course, daddy.” The small maiden had 
certainly been using her powers of observation and reasoning. 
Snakes, fish, ducks, other birds, stoats, cats, dogs, boys, and 
men are among the enemies of the useful and harmless Frog. 
Thousands of these Batrachians are caught annually for fishing 
purposes. Many dealers in London, for instance, always keep 
large quantities of these Batrachians. I find that I can, even in 
mid-winter, obtain almost any number of them from such people. 
Of course a great many Frogs are consumed every year at the 
London and other Zoological Gardens. And from what one reads, 
it may be fairly concluded that a great consumption of such 
Batrachians takes place in America as well as in Europe. For 
example, I quote the following (I do not know the species of Frog 
referred to, but of course it cannot be R. temporaria, as that 
animal is not found at all in America): ‘‘ The quantity (of Frogs) 
disposed of in Buffalo is surprisingly large. The principal 
dealers sell easily 1,200 per day, and the consumption of four 
hotels which have the delicacy in their bills of fare will probably 
add 500 to that amount. As there are several smaller grocery 
stores which sell daily from twenty-five to fifty pairs, it will be 
safe to say that not less than 2,000 are being eaten in Buffalo 
