366 REPTILES. BATBACHJA. 



were at first soft and concealed by the skin. The branchiae or gills also dis- 

 appear, and leave the lungs to exercise the function of respiration, as in other rep- 

 tiles. At last the eye, seen through a transparent skin in the tadpole, appears with 

 its three eyelids. The intestines, at first long, slender, and convoluted spirally, are 

 now shortened, and take the necessary form of the stomach and colon, to accommo- 

 date the changed animal to its new food. The period of this change varies accord- 

 ing to the species. In cold and temperate countries the perfect animal buries itself 

 in the mud or under ground during winter, and passes that season in torpidity. 

 The members of the tadpole are regenerated as those of the salamanders. 



R. esculenta, Lin. Green Frog. Body green, spotted with black ; 



three yellowish dorsal lines ; abdomen whitish. Shaw, iii. pi. 31. 



This is the largest of the European frogs, and is found plentifully in France, Ger- 

 many, and many other parts of Europe. The croaking of these animals in the 

 breeding season is excessively annoying to those in their neighbourhood. They, how- 

 ever, furnish a wholesome and agreeable food. 



R. temporaria, Lin. Common Frog. Body yellowish brown, spot- 

 ted with black, with an elongated brown patch extending from 

 the eye over the ear. Inhabits Europe. B Shaw, iii. pi. 29. 



This species appears early in spring ; goes oftener on land than the preceding, and 

 croaks much less. 



R. paradoxa, Lin. Paradoxical Frog. Body greenish, spotted with 

 brown ; irregular brown lines along the thighs and legs. 16 in- 

 ches long. Inhabits Guiana. Shaw, iii. pi. 36. 

 Of all the species this has its tadpole the largest before its metamorphosis. Its very 



large tail and singular form led the early observers to suppose that it became a fish ; 



or that the full grown frog, contrary to the usual rule, took again the tadpole form. 



R. taurina, Cuv. (Tl. pipiens, Daud.) The Bull Frog. Body olive 

 green, spotted with black ; a yellow line along the back. 12 to 

 18 inches long. North America. Shaw, iii. pi. 33. 



Gen. 2. HYLA, Cuv. Rana, Lin. 



Body slightly compressed, elongated, smooth; tongue short 

 and thick ; the two fore feet furnished with four toes, the 

 hinder with five, all without claws, but terminated by lenti- 

 cular tubercles ; male with a gular pouch capable of inflation. 



H. arborea, Lin. Tree-Frog, Body bright green above, whitish 

 below, with a yellow and blackish lateral line on each side of the 

 body ; abdomen granulated ; feet not webbed. Inhabits Eu- 

 rope. Sharv, iii. pi. 38. 

 In the beauty of its colours, elegance of its form, and agility of its movements, 



the arborca exceeds every other European species. It is plentiful on the continent 



of Europe, but has not been found in Britain. It suspends itself by its feet to the 



twigs of trees for the purpose of catching its prey. 



H. tinctoria, Cuv. Stained Tree-Frog. Body smooth, with two 

 longitudinal lines and one transverse yellowish one upon the back. 

 Inhabits South America. Sharv, iii. 135. 



Gen. 3. BUFO, Cuv. 



Body thick, short, and broad, covered above with warts or pa- 

 pillae, which exude a fetid fluid ; a thick projection behind the 

 ears; no teeth; eyes large and protuberant; fore feet with four 

 toes, separate ; hind feet short, with five toes, generally palmated. 



