APPENDIX: NO.-LX. 95 
a country and turned out in numbers, without there being any 
desire on the part of the introducer to make the fact known, 
Mr. Newton’s account of Mr. Berney’s experiments is sufficient 
proof,—his turning out in England two hundred Edible Frogs and a 
great quantity of their spawn, in 1837, about two years before the 
publication of the first edition of Mr. Bell’s ‘ History of British 
Reptiles,’ and thirteen hundred individuals in 1842, the year before 
Mr. Thurnall’s discovery at Foulmire, and nevertheless, for the 
twenty-two years subsequent to Mr. Beruey’s first bringing over 
the Frogs, his avoiding making his experiments in any way public, 
though indeed they became known, sooner or later, to Mr. John 
Henry Gurney, who first communicated them to Mr. Newton. 
It is rather remarkable that Mr. Bell, in the first edition of his 
work on British Reptiles, should so clearly indicate his disbelief in 
the Edible Frog as a British species (vide Hist. Brit. Rept. Ist ed., 
art. “Scottish | Frog’’), though he figures, for the benefit of the 
Scottish naturalists, a specimen of the ‘Edible Frog sent to him from 
France by M. Bibron (p. 104). For it would hence appear that lis 
father’s account of the “ Whaddon Organs,” which had been told 
to him “ as long ago as he could recollect,” had not struck him as 
referrmg to the Edible Frog until Mr. Thurnall’s discovery was 
announced. 
Mr. Bell gives us, in this first edition, p. 86, an account of the 
introduction into Ireland, now about a hundred and fifty years ago, 
of the Common Frog, which in the same passage is reported to have 
shortly spread over the whole country. In the previously prevalent 
belief that no reptile existed in Ireland, at all events since the time 
of St. Patrick, a weighty reason appears for the preservation of the 
account of their subsequent introduction. That, however, this 
account was not generally known, appears from Mr. Bell being 
indebted to Mr, W. Ogilby for a reference to it. 
The Edible Frog has not appeared, as far as I know, in other 
localities than Foulmire in this country, excepting where it is known 
to have been newly turned out. In a more recent case of a species 
of Amphibia new to our Fauna, it was soon found at the extreme 
ends of the island as well as intermediate places, though I admit 
that this does not prove much, for we certainly have some other 
species of Reptilia and Amphibia very local. 
I have heard reports that since the draining of Foulmire the 
Edible Frog has not spread in the neighbourhood, but has disap- 
peared. I must acknowledge from former observation, that I never 
saw in this country a more peculiar place than Foulmire was. 
Deep clear springs in turf, lving near together, perhaps slightly 
warm; at all events the vegetation about them seemed luxuriant. 
It may be that this peculiarity of character made it especially 
suitable for the Edible Frog. 
We must not forget the assertions of Pennant and Shaw, though 
without detail, that*the Edible Frog is a British species, though 
Mr. Bell, in his first edition, refers to these assertions as errors, 
