172 OVIPAROUS CtUADRUPEDS. 



more readily difcernible, is uncertain. Being out in the air one very hot 

 eyening, he chanced to iet fall fome burning tobacco from his pipe, 

 which was inftantly fwallowed by a frog; as was a fmall burning coal o? 

 wood, and many other Ihining (though heated) bodies. 



THE BULL FROG 



IS very large j has large oval eyes, brilliant and prominent j iris red, 

 bordered with yellow ; upper part of his body deep brown, fpotted 

 deeper, with a tinge of yellowifli green, particularly on the front of the 

 head : belly dirty yellow, clouded with yellow, and lightly fpotted. 

 Connnnonly five toes to each foot, with a tubercle under each joint. Is 

 lefs frequent than onoft other frogs ; lives in fprings, which are often on 

 the fidf^s of hills in Virginia ; commonly two to each fpring or pond. 

 They fit at the entry of the hole which furnifhcs the water, and when 

 furprifed leap into the water. The Virginians think they purify the 

 water, which perhaps they do, by deftroying infe6bs that might other- 

 ^yife pollute it ; but they alfo deflroy young ducklings, if not goflings j 

 which, having a very wide gullet, they can eafily do. This conforma- 

 tion, and their fize, aided by the echoes of the furrounding banks and 

 cavities, renders their croaking fomewhat formidable, and like that of a 

 bull bellowing at a diftance. A traveller, unufed to them, is greatly at 

 a lofs to account for the noife they make, as they are themfelves invifi- 

 ble, being entirely under water, except juft their muzzles, whence iflues 

 their furprifing croaking. Some have fix toes on the hind feet. 



THE TREE FROGS 



FORM a peculiar fpecies, diftinguiluable by a kind of fmall knob or 

 button at the extremity of each toe. Thefe knobs are unftuous, or 

 vifcid i and by this property the creature can eafily fupport itfelf on the 

 branches or leaves of trees. 



"Whatever 



