EDIBLE FROG. 231 



remarkably great ; and it is by far the most expert swim- 

 mer of all quadrupeds. While in a tadpole state, it is 

 wholly an inhabitant of the water, and it is also produced 

 in that element : but, as soon as the young animal is trans- 

 formed into its mature state, it immediately takes to the 

 land ; and if after hot weather, refreshing showers fall, 

 the whole ground is sometimes seen covered with these 

 little creatures, a circumstance which has probably 

 given rise to the vulgar notion of frogs being rained from 

 the clouds. A single female is capable of producing a 

 thousand eggs at a time, and therefore the immensity of 

 their numbers will not excite admiration. They subsist 

 on insects, and are themselves devoured by a variety of 

 other animals. 



The frog is remarkably tenacious of life, and will leap 

 about, even after its head has been cut off. Many cruel 

 experiments indeed have been made on this inoffending 

 race : and Galvani, the Italian naturalist, from his observ- 

 ations on them, has given rise to that branch of electric 

 science which goes by his name ; which, though it certainly 

 teems with curious speculations, does not appear hitherto 

 to have produced any useful results. 



The croaking of frogs is a certain indication of ap- 

 proaching rain ; and is sometimes so loud in marshy coun- 

 tries, such as Holland, as to be stunning and unpleasant to 

 the hearer. In very dry weather, however, they become 

 mute from a deficiency of moisture, and consequently of 

 the food in which they delight. 



THE EDIBLE FROG. 



This creature differs from the common frog, in having a 

 high protuberance on the middle of its back, which forms 

 a very sharp angle. Its colours also are more vivid, and 

 its mark more distinct. Both this and the common spe- 

 cies are eaten in some countries. a In the markets of 

 Paris," says Pennant, " we have seen whole hampers full ; 

 which the venders were preparing for the table by skinning 

 and cutting off the fore-parts, the loins and legs only beiag 



