428 SPANISH-TOWN. 



is of very considerable size, of full an acre and a 

 half in extent, and not very distant from the river, 

 but elevated as much as thirty or forty feet above 

 it. The oldest inhabitant thereabout never knew 

 of such an occurrence as frogs of this size or cha- 

 racter in that district. The Hylce or tree-frogs from 

 time immemorial had mingled their loud croaks with 

 the shrill tones of the Gryllidce in the surrounding 

 trees at nightfall; but hoarse bellowings from the 

 ponds and pastures had never before saluted their 

 ears. I know nothing of the specific peculiarities of 

 the Cystignathus ocellatus of Wagler, or of the Ra7ia 

 gigas and pachypus of Spix, or of the mugiens of 

 Catesby ; but from the large size and sonorous voice 

 of this unknown visitor, our people have called it 

 the Bull-frog. Some of the American settlers in this 

 vicinity have confirmed the propriety of this appella- 

 tion, by recognizing a similarity between it and the 

 great hoarse-voiced croaker of Carolina. I shall 

 describe the appearance of our frog. 



" I mentioned that the Passage Fort reptile had 

 toad-characteristics, and that the skin was tubercu- 

 lous. I would distinguish that of the present speci- 

 men as granular. Linear divisions, more permanently 

 marked than wrinkles, pervade the whole cuticle as 

 well below as above, and both upon the legs and toes. 

 Each intersection swells into a distinct bump. Those 

 on the upper surface are much larger than those on 

 the lower, and are further distinguished by being 

 minutely spotted with a little congeries of spicular 

 dots, like the seed spots on a strawberry, only dark 

 coloured instead of light. The tint of the upper parts 



