INTRODUCTION. 



with which animals spread. Unfortunately the would- 

 be introducer seemed unaware that, according to 

 Stuart's History of Armagh, the first Frog which was 

 ever seen in Ireland made its appearance in a pasture 

 field near Waterford about the year 1630, that is to 

 say, seventy years before its introduction in Dublin. 1 

 But even Stuart was mistaken in supposing that no 

 Frog had ever been seen in Ireland before, since 

 Giraldus Cambrensis, in his Topography of Ireland, 

 mentions that a Frog was found in a meadow near 

 Waterford in the year 1187. 



Certain British species of vertebrates are generally 

 looked upon as introduced species, though we cannot 

 trace any record of their first establishment, and it is 

 quite possible that, though there was local extinction 

 and subsequent local re-introduction, they are truly 

 indigenous and may never have become totally 

 extinct. Such are, for instance, the Rabbit (Leptts 

 cuniculus) and the Pheasant (fhasianus colchicus}. 

 The latter certainly had become naturalised in 

 England before the Norman invasion. 



But cases of introduction such as those above re- 

 ferred to are by no means confined to the vertebrates, 

 similar instances among invertebrates being numer- 

 ous enough. I am sure every naturalist is personally 

 acquainted with a good number, and it is hardly 

 necessary that I should quote in any detail after 



1 I should recommend those who are particularly interested in the 

 full history of the Irish frog to read the notes on this subject contained 

 in vol. ii. of the Irish Naturalist. 



