24 



BATKACHIANS. 



servedly so. Prepared in tlie same manner, Green Frogs closely 

 resemble very young fowls in taste. In almost all parts of France 

 Frogs are disdained as articles of food ; it is only in the south that 

 a taste for them is openly avowed, and there Frogs are sought for 

 and brought to market. Therefore, I never could comprehend 

 how the notion popular in England, when it is wished to express 

 contempt for Frenchmen, should be to call them Frog- eaters. It 

 is a reproach which might be addressed to Provencals and Lan- 

 guedocians like the author of this work, but not at all to the 

 majority of Frenchmen. 



The Green Tree Frog is easily distinguished by having little plates 

 under its toes. These organs are a species of sucker, by means of 



Fig. 6. -Green Tree Frog (Hyia). 



which the animal is enabled, like the house-fly, to cling strongly to 

 any surface, however smooth and polished it may be. The smoothest 

 branch, even the lower surface of a leaf, forms a sufficient hold 

 and support to these delicate organs. 



The upper part of the body is of a beautiful green, the lower 

 part, where little tuberculi are visible, is white. A yellow line, 

 lightly bordered with violet, extends on each side of the head 

 and back, from the muzzle to the hind legs. A similar line runs 

 from the jaw to the front legs. The head is short, the mouth 

 round, and the eyes raised. Much smaller than the ordinary Frog, 



