REPTILES IN THE TARN AND THE GREEN LANES. 8 



afterwards, however, two little projections appear 

 beneath the skin and muscles of the front and hind 

 parts. These increase in size, are supplied with 

 nerves and veins, and presently the shoulder and 

 hip-hones are developed. The tail now disappears, 

 heing no longer required, but in its gradual dis- 

 appearance it has not heen useless, for it has been 

 absorbed, and thus its substance converted into the 

 now more important organs. With the tail also 

 disappear the gills, for the true lungs have been 

 developed meantime, so that by the period when the 

 legs enable the creature to quit the water, the 

 substitution of lungs for gills also enables it to 

 breathe the atmosphere. 



The frog tadpoles are deadfully voracious, and are 

 confirmed cannibals. No sooner does one die than a 

 hundred come to the funeral, and give it a decent 

 interment in their stomachs ! Nay, let one appear 

 sickly, and it will be the signal for the rest to worry 

 it into the desirable condition of food ! The dense 

 green scum, or confervoid vegetation which mantles 

 the surface of the stagnant tarn, appears to be the 

 legitimate food of the young tadpoles, but the adult 

 frog itself is insectivorous. According to Dr. M. C. 

 Cooke, its favourite food consists of minute insects, 

 such as green plant-lice, other and larger insects, 

 small slugs, &c. He goes on to say, " This habit 

 ought to procure for frogs, not only the protection, 

 but the fostering care of gardeners and all culti- 

 vators of the soil. How much less cause would they 



