FROGS. 371 



STORERIA Occipito-maculata, (B. and G.) Occurs on the 

 mountain, but is rare. 



ORDER IY. AMPHIBIA. 



This is a division of the old class Reptilia adopted by some 

 naturalists. 



BATRACHIANS. 



(Family Ranina.) 



There are several species of frog on the mountain. In the 

 seventh volume of the Proceedings of the Academy of Natu- 

 ral Sciences of Philadelphia, 1855, Major Le Conte has 

 given a corrected catalogue of this genus. In this he asserts 

 the identity of several of Holbrookes different species, and 

 rearranges the group, discarding certain variable characters, 

 (" frogs changing their color at will,") and establishing 

 others that are constant. 



RANA Catesbiana, (Linn.) This is the common bullfrog, 

 or blood-an'-owns. It has an extensive geographic range, 

 the tadpoles, or undeveloped young, being found in almost 

 every stream, and the full-grown frog in numbers in every 

 pool of water of any size. It grows large, and is much 

 esteemed by many as an article of food. This frog-taste is 

 of Gallic origin, and was imported no doubt with some other 

 etherially sublimated nonsense of the race that seems de- 

 termined to rule the world, not only in ribbons and flummery, 

 but in the department of powder and ball. The sound of 

 the voices of ancient individuals of this species partakes of 

 the sublime, and heard at twilight or night in the deep pools 

 of the gorges of the mountain, constitutes the thorough-bass 

 of nature's thousand-toned orchestra. 



RANA Fontinalis. This is the Horiconensis and Fonti- 

 nalis of Holbrook, the first of which he confines to Lake 

 George, while he gives to the latter a range common from 

 Maine to Virginia. Major Le Conte says " it inhabits from 

 one end of the country to another." In the streams of the 

 mountain. 



