582 OBDEBS OF BATRACHIA. ANUBA ; FEOGS. 



tacles, and the young animals emerge from them as perfect little 

 Toads. A small Frog, a native of Venezuela, also exhibits a 

 curious phenomenon of nearly the same kind. In this animal, 

 the back of the female has a large double pouch under the skin, 

 in which the eggs are stowed away ; the development of the em- 

 bryos certainly takes place in these receptacles as far as the 

 development of the feet, but what becomes of them subsequently 

 is as yet unknown. 



525. After the preceding account of the general structure 

 and habits of the Batrachia, it will be unnecessary to dwell 

 at any great length upon the subordinate groups. The class 

 may be divided into five very distinct orders. I. ANURA, or 

 Frogs and Toads, in which the adult animal is destitute of a 

 tail. II. URODELA, or Newts, with four limbs and a tail, but 

 with no branchi in the mature state. III. AMPHIPNEUSTA, or 

 Sirens, with a naked skin and two or four legs, and in which 

 the branchiae are retained when mature. IV. APOD A, which are 

 quite destitute of limbs. And V. LEPIDOTA, with a fish-like 

 body, clothed with distinct scales, four simple limbs, and perma- 

 nent branchiae. 



ORDER I. ANURA. 



526. The references already made to the species of this order 

 the Frogs and Toads, which from their abundance must be 

 familiar to every one, will render any detailed account of their 

 form or structure unnecessary. In their habits they vary con- 

 siderably, some of them living principally in the water, whilst 

 others only visit that element at the breeding season. Their 

 food consists principally of insects, which they swallow whole, 

 and generally alive. The order may be divided into three fami- 

 lies : I. RANID^:, or Frogs. II. BUFONUXE, or Toads. III. Pi- 

 PID^E, or Surinam Toads. 



527. The RANID^E, or Frogs, have the hind legs much longer 

 than the anterior pair, so that they are enabled to perform con- 

 siderable leaps ; the upper jaw is always furnished with teeth, 

 and the tongue is extensible. Of this family the Common Frog 



