1G2 THE ANCIENT ORDER OF BATKACHIANS. 



thing avails to overcome the settled antipathy of mankind ; and 

 the Batrachians will probably go on to the end of their days 

 maltreated and maligned, an unoffending but cruelly persecuted 

 race. 



It generally happens that injustice of this sort brings about 

 its own punishment, and this is certainly the case in reference 

 to the hard measure so undeservedly meted out to the Batra- 

 chians. The world looks down upon them, gives them ill names, 

 affects a sort of horror of them, and does its best to kick them 

 out of sight ; and the consequence is that the world knows next 

 to nothing about them, and thus misses one of the most marvel- 

 lous chapters in the whole range of zoological science. The Ba- 

 trachiophobia is at length giving way in one direction, it is true ; 

 for the Aquarium has made it manifest that the Water-Newts, 

 spite of a long-cherished belief to the contrary, are perfectly 

 harmless little creatures, elegant withal in their appearance, and 

 very engaging in their behaviour. If prejudice did not stand in 

 the way, we should be ready to admit that others of the order 

 were equally deserving of our attention, and that "horrid" and 

 " odious " as they are generally voted, it would be well worth 

 the while of the curious in such matters to inquire into the de- 

 tails of their habits and economy. 



We propose, then, to put in a plea on behalf of the Frog and 

 fiis friends, and to show cause why the entire fraternity of Batra- 

 chians should henceforth be dealt with in a more humane and 

 considerate fashion. It will be no difficult task to accomplish, 

 nor will it involve us in anything like a dull and disagreeable 

 discourse ; for however repugnant it may be to the notions pre- 

 valent on this side of the English Channel to introduce any of 

 these little fellows upon the dinner-table, there can be no question 

 as to the excellence of the literary piece de resistance they furnish, 

 if only it be concocted with a little artistic discrimination and 

 care. 



It may be as well, perhaps, to begin by informing such as are 

 disposed to look down upon the Batrachians, that in the estima- 

 tion of some of the first naturalists of the day, these animals are 

 entitled to a considerably higher rank than that to which they 

 are generally supposed to belong. The common idea of course is 

 that they are neither more nor less than reptiles ; the entire group 

 being regarded as one of the " orders " or principal divisions of 



