COMMON FROG. 



99 



to his servants, occasionally issuing from a hole in the skirt- 

 ing of the kitchen, and that during the first year of his so- 

 journ, he constantly withdrew upon their approach ; but from 

 their showing him kindness, and offering him such food as 

 they thought he could partake of, he gradually acquired 

 habits of familiarity and friendship ; and during the following 

 three years he regularly came out every day, and particularly 

 at the hour of meal-time, and partook of the food which the 

 servants gave him. But one of the most remarkable features 

 in his artificial state of existence, was his strong partiality 

 for warmth, as during the winter seasons, he regularly (and 

 contrary to the cold-blooded tendency of his nature) came 

 out of his hole in the evening, and directly made for the 

 hearth in front of a good kitchen fire, where he would con- 

 tinue to bask, and enjoy himself until the family retired to 

 rest. 



" There happened to be at the same time a favourite old 

 domestic cat, and a sort of intimacy or attachment existed 

 between these two incongruous inmates ; the Frog frequently 

 nestling under the warm fur of the cat, whilst the cat ap- 

 peared extremely jealous of interrupting the comforts and 

 convenience of the Frog. This curious scene was often wit- 

 nessed by many besides the family."" 



In its general form it is more slender than the Toad, though 

 less so than many species of true Frog. The head forming 

 half an oval, or nearly so ; the snout rounded ; the mouth 

 horizontal, linear ; the gape very wide, extending as far as 

 the posterior margin of the orbit ; teeth placed in a single 

 row in the upper jaw and on the palate, very minute ; none 

 in the lower ; tongue soft, fleshy, spatula shaped and 

 notched, the anterior portion folded back upon the posterior 

 when not in use ; eyes elevated above the forehead. The 

 back is generally flat, excepting at the setting on of the 



