CHAPTER VIII. 



THE EDIBLE FROG. 



Family, Ranidcz. Genus, Rana. Species, escuknta. 



RAN A ESCULENTA was not originally a native of the British Isles, 

 but has been introduced, and is now frequent in the marshy 

 localities of the eastern counties, and is occasionally elsewhere 

 established. As it is customary to include it among the British 

 fauna, a few words may be said about it. 



Regarding its development and mode of life, what has been 

 related of R. temporaria would in most respects describe Escuhnta, 



Fig. 23. The Edible Frog. 



excepting that the latter is more thoroughly aquatic, not keeping 

 entirely to the water, but being less on land than temporaria. It 

 has been called the " green frog," and is Rana viridis of some 

 herpetologists, but with no better reason than that which has 

 procured the name of " green snake " to Coluber natrix, viz., 

 being of a more greenish tint than the other frog, yet not the 

 true green of the tree frog Hyla. It is a trifle longer and 

 narrower than temporaria and with handsomer markings, and 

 conspicuous whitish or pale yellow lines down the back rendering 

 it easily distinguishable. 



