BATRACHIA. 63 



few of the myriads of tadpoles that scuttle along 

 in every ditch in spring, may in a few weeks verify 

 the facts, and obtain some information in a delight- 

 fully practical manner. 



The Frog feeds on various insects, worms, and 

 slugs ; on this account it is a very useful inhabitant 

 of a garden, where it will live very well without 

 water among the damp plants. The following ac- 

 count of its mode of taking food is given by the 

 Rev. T. W. Bree: "A friend happened to be 

 re-potting some green-house plants, and meeting 

 with a moderate-sized worm among the roots, he 

 carelessly threw it aside into a damp corner near 

 the green-house. Almost immediately a Frog is- 

 sued from his lurking place hard by, commenced 

 his attack upon the worm, and soon dispatched it. 

 Another worm was thrown to him, which he treated 

 in the same manner. But the amusing part of the 

 business is to watch the manner in which the Frog 

 first notices his prey, and this I can compare to 

 nothing so aptly as a pointer dog setting his game. 

 He makes, indeed, a dead set at it, and oftentimes 

 too, (if the relative position of the two animals so 

 require it,) with a slight bend or inclination of the 

 fore part of the body to one side, just as we often 

 see a pointer turn suddenly when the game is on 

 one side of him, and he has approached very near 

 before he has perceived it. After a pause of some 

 seconds or more, the Frog makes a dart at the worm, 

 endeavouring to seize it with his mouth; in this 

 attempt he frequently fails more than once, and 



