PREFACE TO THE FIRST PART. 



THE idea of this manual on the anatomy of the frog-, of which I 

 now offer the first part to physiologists and to those who would 

 become such, occurred to me during- the preparation of the plates 

 for my ' Icones Physiologicae/ I was then convinced of the 

 necessity of such a book. I regret that many direct and indirect 

 causes have hindered its earlier completion ; fortunately, however, 

 its appearance is still opportune, as the need for the book has not 

 diminished. I am conscious that the book requires a recommenda- 

 tion to the indulgent judgment of my fellow- workers, since almost 

 every one has studied the frog- for one purpose or another, and 

 each will closely criticize in that department with which he is most 

 familiar. Although I shall not be able to satisfy all, still I hope 

 that my work may serve as a useful basis for further investigations, 

 and I would apply to it the words with which Sommering prefaced 

 his anatomy : ' Ich wiinschte em Handbuch zu lief ern und seine 

 Einrichtung so zu treffen, dass man kiinftig- an ihm als einer Basis 

 nach Erforderm'ss leicht andern, wegnehmen und zusetzen konnte V 



Lest more be anticipated from the book than it is intended to 

 supply, I would observe that I have throughout had in mind only 

 a descriptive anatomy of the indigenous (German) frog ; a com- 

 parative anatomy of Batrachians was as foreign to my intention as 

 were developmental or histological questions : hence morphological 

 details must not be expected. Any hope of formulating a systematic 

 nomenclature of the muscles has been abandoned; as neither one 

 based upon their mode of action, of which we know so little, nor 

 one based upon their origins and insertions, as demonstrated by 

 the unpronounceable names of Chaussier and Duges, is really 

 practicable. I have therefore preferred to avail myself, as far as 

 possible, of the received names, which have been chosen partly 



1 ' I wished to furnish a manual so arranged that it might serve as a basis easily 

 altered, pruned, or enlarged as the future might need.' 



