INCONGRUOUS ASSOCIATES. 181 



do not, as is generally supposed, eat the whole of the Frog, but 

 its hind-quarters only ; and, dressed with wine and choice sauce, 

 they make a better dish than John Bull with his obstinate pre- 

 ference for the " noble sirloin " would be willing to admit. It 

 appears, however, that our neighbours themselves are losing their 

 relish for their traditional dish ; for though the Frog is still regu- 

 larly exposed for sale in the markets of France, its consumption 

 has greatly diminished, and is still on the decline. 



One of the " things not generally known," is, that the Frog, 

 equally with the Toad, is capable of forming an attachment to 

 its benefactors. A case is mentioned by Mr. Bell, of a Frog 

 which made its appearance in the kitchen of a gentleman's house 

 at Kingston, and which for some years used regularly to come out 

 from its hole in the skirting of the kitchen and lie down to bask 

 in the heat of the fire. It picked up an acquaintance, too, with 

 an old cat, and would frequently nestle under its warm fur, while 

 the cat, on its part, would allow no interference with the comfort 

 of its incongruous companion. 



Ireland, as the reader is probably aware, is singularly free from 

 reptiles. One of our Water Newts, it is true, is generally dis- 

 tributed throughout the island, and the small species of Toad 

 known as the Netter Jack, is also found in some parts ; but the 

 common Toad, the Snake, and the Viper are unknown through- 

 out the country, as was also the case with the common Frog 

 until towards the close of the seventeenth century, when it was 

 introduced from England. According to popular tradition, this 

 exemption of the " sister isle " from " varmint " is due to the 

 malediction pronounced upon them by St. Patrick, in the days of 

 the great King Macdonald the First, when, 



" The frogs went ' hop,' and the toads went ' flop,' 



As they dropt into the water ; 

 And the snakes committed suicide 

 To save themselves from slaughter." 



In one of the later numbers of the Tatter, an amusing account 

 from the pen of Addison is given of the circumstances connected 

 with the introduction of the Frog into Ireland ; and as the paper 

 was intended as a satire upon the proceedings of the Royal 

 Society, the incidents of the affair are made to appear sufficiently 

 ridiculous. The plain facts of the case appear to be, that a 

 number of Frogs were taken over to Dublin, from this country, 



