174 



There are several varieties of these batrachians, some 

 of the southern sorts will weigh over a pound apiece. 

 The largest edible sorts should be selected and the 

 market for them will be found to be unlimited at a price 

 hardly surpassed by that paid for fresh trout. 



Great care should be taken in gathering spawn, not to 

 get toad spawn. Frog spawn is laid in a bunch like a 

 bunch or^spongeof jelly. It is clear with black spots in 

 it, but turns- white when dead. It should be gathered 

 carefully and the jelly which is essential to successful 

 hatching, should be broken as little as possible. Toad 

 spawn is laid in a string, the female, when laying her 

 eggs, walks back and forth carrying on her back the 

 male, who is impregnating the eggs with melt as they 

 are emitted. When lying in the water, it looks like 

 glass tubes with No. 4 shot destributed the fourth of an 

 inch apart the entire length of the tubes. Frogs attain 

 their growth in from three to five years. We have 

 recommended putting the spawn in a hatching box, but 

 the eggs will hatch as well in the pond without a box, if 

 they are not liable to depredation by enemies. And if 

 the meat that is put around the pond to attract flies, is 

 cut up finely, the frogs will soon get a taste of it and 

 learn to eat it. When they have passed beyond the pol- 

 lywog into the frog state, they must have a chance to get 

 out of the water among the grass, and if the pond is near 

 the house, (as it should be,) there is less danger from 

 animals. We have seen taken from a spring hole in 

 winter, a solid mass of frogs as large as a bushel basket. 



PRESERVING FLUID. The ordinary methods of preserv- 

 ing specimens of eggs and fish, have never proved satis 

 factory. We have obtained the following receipt, and 

 have tested it thoroughly, both for delicate young fry 

 and for fish eggs, and have found it entirely successful, 



