BULL FROG. 107 



numerous spots, but much less vivid or distinct 

 than those of the upper parts. The fore feet have 

 only four toes, and arc unwebbed, but the hind 

 feet, which are large and long, have five toes, and 

 are very widely webbed or palmated. The irides 

 of the eyes are red, surrounded with a narrow 

 border, or secondary iris, as it were, of yellow. 

 The ears, or rather the external membranes of those 

 organs, are large, round, of a brownish red colour, 

 surrounded by a well-defined pale or yellowish 

 white margin. 



Mr. Catesby tells us that the Bull Froar is less 



* 



numerous in North America than any other kind ; 

 that it frequents springs only, which in Virginia 

 abound in the sides of every little hill, where by 

 the continual running of the water a small pond or 

 hole is usually made before the mouth of the 

 spring, which is rarely without a pair of these 

 frogs, which are usually seen sitting on the verge 

 of the hole, and when surprised, with a long leap 

 or two, enter the mouth of the spring, where they 

 are secured He adds, that it is the common belief 

 of the people in Virginia that they keep the springs 

 clean, and purify the water, and therefore the ge- 

 neral prejudice is in their favour ; though, on ac- 

 count of their being great devourers of young 

 ducks and goslings, which they often swallow 

 whole, they are sometimes destroyed. 



It does not appear that Linnaeus has distinctly 

 described this species, unless we suppose him to 

 have really intended it by his Rana ocellata. If 

 this be the case, we must admit, that by some very 



