320 Rev. R. T. Lowe’s Descriptions of 
a Frog absorbing sometimes in half an hour as much as half its own 
weight, and in a few hours the whole of its own weight of water, and 
nearly as rapidly giving it off when placed in any position that is warm 
and removed from moisture. Dr. T. contends that as the Frog tribe never 
drink water, this fluid must be supplied by means of absorption through 
the skin. Both Frogs and Toads have a large bladder, which is often 
found full of water: “ whatever this fluid may be, (he says,) it is as pure 
*- as distilled water and equally tasteless; this I assert as well of that of 
«* the Toad which I have often tasted, as that of Frogs.’’ 
Art. XLII, Descriptions of two species of Araneide, 
Natives of Madeira. In ua Letter to the Editor, hy the 
Rev. R. T. Lown, B.A. 
TO THE EDITORS OF THE ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL. 
Gentlemen, 
The accompanying drawings, with notes of the observations from 
which the following characters have been drawn up, were made partly in 
my presence, and came into my possession altogether on the death of Dr. 
Heineken. My separate investigations and enquiries having since gone 
far to satisfy me of the correctness of his views relating to the two 
Araneide which are the subject of this short notice, I feel myself called 
upon to make them public. But farther than having fully proved the 
fidelity of the drawings, and repeatedly confirmed by my own observa- 
tions the correctness of his, I shall be entitled to little more merit than 
that of throwing Dr. Heineken’s notes into a proper form and language 
for publication; while, on the other hand, should the following facts 
prove neither new nor interesting, I must take upon myself the blame for 
