THE EDIBLE FKOG. 103 



sound proceeded, but soon returned and informed 

 Mr. Newton that the sound proceeded from a 

 pond, and that the musicians were edible frogs. 



Of course (writes the latter gentleman) I went immediately 

 to satisfy myself, and there, sure enough, were the frogs 

 some swimming to and fro in the water some sitting on the 

 aquatic plants, with which the pond was choked, and these 

 last were exceedingly noisy, puffing out their faucial sacs, 

 like so many dwellers in the cave of ^Eolus. After observing 

 them for a little while, we tried to obtain some specimens, 

 but herein fortune favoured the frogs. We had no aggressive 

 weapons beyond a walking-stick and an umbrella, and they 

 were wary to a degree, and exceedingly active. However, by 

 persevering we became possessed of four individuals, three, 

 I regret to say, dead, and one, an indiscreet youth, whom 

 we found rambling about the grass alive. We retired with 

 our spoils, the deceased were decently embalmed, and are 

 now in the Norfolk and Norwich Museum. 



He afterwards relates how he made his dis- 

 covery known to Mr. J. H. Gurnev, and learnt 

 from him that many years before Mr. George 

 Berney had imported a number of these reptiles 

 alive, and liberated them in this neighbourhood. 

 Application to Mr. Berney educed the foregoing 

 account of his introduction of edible frogs into 

 this country. 



How far the facts above related, adds Mr. Newton, will 

 serve to answer the inquiry propounded nearly twelve years 

 since by Mr. J. Wolley (Zoologist, p. 1821), "Is the edible 

 frog a true native of Britain ? " I do not presume to say, 

 but I will merely draw attention to one point, namely, that 

 as appears from Mr. Berney's letter, upwards of 1,500 edible 



