CHAP. xvi. The Reminiscences of a Frog. 233 



disreputable ; and then he is so greedy. I had some in a can, together 

 with other bait, when what should I see but one of these " glutinous " 

 ruffians improving his opportunities by endeavouring to swallow a bait 

 longer than his own body. He had the head and shoulders and half 

 the body down his " sarcophagus or elementary canal " and was holding 

 on to it sulkily, while the fish's tail was wagging gaily. I pulled poor 

 fishy out, when froggy straightway went at him, and half swallowed him 

 again. You see what an incorrigible brute he is, so put him into your 

 can, and be off with him to the haunts of the Murral without any 

 compunction. 



A frog swallows a frog head foremost, a snake swallows a frog legs 

 foremost, the little frog in both positions calling out lustily the while, 

 and the operation in both cases being a protracted one, the placid 

 imperturbability of the swallower contrasting markedly with the gesticu- 

 lating vehement oratory of the swallowed. While the big frog, Rana 

 tigrina, was swallowing the little frog, Rana cyanophlyctis, head foremost, 

 the little brown fellow kicked all he knew, very little more than his 

 hind legs being out, and from cavernous depths shouted in sepulchral 

 tones " Police ! Police ! ! Police ! ! ! " Being a J.P., I stopped to know 

 what the row was about. Rana tigrina had not a word to say for 

 himself, and moved not a muscle of his impassive countenance, much 

 less stirred hand or foot. As in duty bound I eventually interposed 

 and freed the little one. He was not injured in the least, only a little 

 frightened ! Considering his character, I think I should have done 

 better had I let the urchin alone. 



The Murral lives a long time without water, and can therefore be 

 taken home alive, and consequently fresh, the flesh remaining firm. 



The reason for this is that, unlike most fish which breathe only the 

 oxygen contained in solution in the water, the Ophiocephalida inhale 

 the atmospheric air direct. They may be seen coming up to the 

 surface continually, exhaling a bubble and taking in a mouthful of fresh 

 air, and they have an air cavity for the storage of the fresh air. If 

 confined in a globe or other vessel with a net stretched across a little 

 below the surface of the water, so as to prevent them from breathing 

 the atmospheric air direct, they will die from not being able to 

 oxygenate their blood, however fully supplied with oxygen the water 

 may be. Being thus able to breathe our air, and being commonly 

 dependent on it, they do not suffer like other fish on being transferred 



