TADPOLE OF THE FEOG. 23 



crafts swimming on tlie surface of the water. After a few days, 

 more or less according to the temperature, the little black spot 

 which is the embryo of the egg, and which has developed itself 

 in the interior of the glairy mass which envelops it, disengages 

 itself and shoots forth into the water : this is the tadpole of the 

 Frog. 



The body of the tadpole is oval in shape, and terminates in a 

 long flat tail, which forms a true fin ; on each side of the neck 

 are two large gills, in shape like a plume of feathers ; the tadpole 

 has no legs. These gills soon begin to wither, without aquatic 

 respiration ceasing, however ; for, besides these, the tadpole pos- 

 sesses interior gills like fishes. Soon after, the legs begin to show 

 themselves, the hind legs appearing first ; they acquire a con- 

 siderable length before the fore feet begin to show themselves. 

 These develop themselves under the skin, which they presently 

 pierce through. When the legs have appeared, the tail begins 

 to fade, and, little by little, withers away, imtil in the perfect 

 animal it entirelj^ disappears. About the same time the lungs 

 become developed, and assume their functions. In Fig. 5 

 may be traced the successive phases of its transformation from 

 the egg to the tadpole, till we finally reach the perfect Batrachian. 

 Through these admirable modifications we see the Fish, little 

 by little, become a Batrachian. In order to follow this strange 

 metamorphosis, it sufiices to gather some Frog's eggs, and to place 

 them with some aquatic herbs in an aquarium, or in a globe with 

 Gold and Silver Fish ; it there constitutes a most interesting spec- 

 tacle, and we advise our readers to give themselves this instructive 

 and easy lesson in natural history. 



At present, there exist two species of Frog in Europe : the 

 Green or Edible Frog, and the Common Frog. The Green Frog is 

 that which we have described, and of which we have given a 

 representation in Fig. 4. They are foimd in running streams and 

 stagnant waters. It is this species to which La Fontaine alludes in 

 one of his fables. Common Frogs are smaller than the preceding : 

 they inhabit damp places in fields and vineyards, and only return 

 to the water to breed or to winter. 



The flesh of the Edible Frog is very tender, white, and delicate. 

 As an article of food, it is lightly esteemed by some, but unde- 



