AUGUST. 265 



C. I see several frogs hopping about among the grass. 



F. Yes : this species, the Meadow Frog, (Rana Hale- 

 cina ?) is fond of lurking in the long grass, whence the 

 mower disturbs it : it is very handsome, if we are divested 

 of that nursery prejudice which looks on every reptile as 

 ugly and abominable ; its limbs and upper parts are whitish 

 with large irregular spots of dark olive-brown, and the 

 whole under parts are bright orange red. I have never seen 

 it near water.* 



C. What is this curious circular organ, like a round scale, 

 on each side of the neck ? I observe it in all frogs. 



F. That is the organ of hearing. Frogs have no exter- 

 nal ear, but this round membrane which you see, is the 

 tympanum or drum of the ear, tightly stretched over the 

 auditory canal. 



C. What other species of this genus have we ? 



F. There is the great Bull-frog (Rana Pipiens), so 

 called from its deep hollow voice, resembling the short bel- 

 lowing of a bull ; it is of a fine green, spotted with black. 

 It resides chiefly in water, and may often be seen sitting 

 in a shallow pool, with its muzzle just out of water ; con- 

 tinuing in the same position without the slightest motion 

 for hours together. Then, I believe, there is another smaller 

 species, inhabiting the marshes, of a dusky brown colour, 

 but whether this is the young of either of the others, I am 

 not certain. (Rana Clamatis ? ) 



C. I have seen in the summer evenings a large toad in 

 the garden, and near the house, covered with large reddish 

 brown warts and excrescences, adding by no means to the 

 beauty of its appearance (Eufo Cognatus). Its solemn 

 look as it sits upon a stone, sucking in its throat, and 



* I am almost sure this is not Halecina, but I cannot find in Dr. Har- 

 lan's paper on the Reptiles any other to which it bears any resemblance, 

 though it must be found in New England. P. H. G. 



N 



