430 SPANISH-TOWN. 



observations to the surviving last one, he would have 

 decided what their forms were, after he perceived they 

 had tails terminating like slender oars, and great big 

 eyes reflecting rays of silver green, and would have 

 written grenouillettes for tetards. I have referred to 

 this occurrence, from Moreau de St. Mery, because 

 it possibly explains the source from whence we de- 

 rived our strangers." * 



" Feh. 6. 1847. — ^I have fathomed the mystery of 

 the unknown toads and frogs, mentioned in my last 

 two letters as recently and suddenly appearing among 

 us. Mr. Anthony Davis, a proprietor in St. An- 

 drew's, some two years ago (viz. in Nov. 1844) im- 

 ported two dozen anurous Batrachians from Barba- 

 does, and established them in the ponds of Molina's 

 estate. The great sandy gully that drains the up- 

 lands of Liguanea swept them, in the late rains, into 

 the swamps between this place and Kingston, and 

 from thence dispersed them through the savannas. 

 These reptiles were imported for the purpose of 



* " I quote the words of Moreau de St. Mery. — < On eprouva 

 depuis le mols de Novembre, 1785 jusqu'au 5 Mai, 1786, une se- 

 cheresse desolante. — Le meme jour 5 Mai, 1786', il tomba, durant 

 une forte brlse d'Est, dans plusleurs endroits de la vllle (Port au 

 Prince) et de la plaine (eul de sac) une grande quantlte d'oeufs noirs, 

 qu'on vit eclore le lendemain. M. Mozard, qui guarda une cinquen- 

 taine de ces petits animaux dans un flagon a demi rempli d'eau, les 

 vit changer de peau plusieurs fois. lis ressemblaient a des tetards, et 

 devinrent trois fois plus gros que ne le sont des cousins ou marin- 

 gouins dans I'etat de vers. Leur queue etait terminee comme un 

 aviron effile vers I'extremit^, et leurs yeux etaient grands, vifs, et 

 r^flechissant plusieurs rayons d'un vert argentin. lis Etaient formes 

 d'une maniere visqueuse, et le 2 Juin ils s'entredevouerent.' — Descrip. 

 de Saint Dominique, ii. 413. 



