FitoGS. EEPTILES.- 



-CojiMON Frog. 



89 



and is only adapted for living in the water. This 

 state does not last very long. Changes continue to 

 take place as the development of the little creature 

 progresses. No sooner have the external gills attained 

 their greatest development, than they begin to diminish 

 in size; they become obtuse, and are gradually so 

 reduced as to be withdrawn within the branchial 

 cavity, and concealed by a little operculum of the 

 integument. The eyes are now perfectly formed ; the 

 mouth has acquired movable lips ; and the web or 

 membrane of the taU has become considerably deve- 

 loped, and serves for very varied and rapid locomo- 

 tion. By and by the legs begin to show themselves 

 — tlie hinder extremities first, and the fore legs shortly 

 after. As the hinder extremities increase in size, 

 the tail becomes less, until it almost disappears by 

 being absorbed. The gills then disappear ; the animal 

 respires air by means of its lungs, and now acquires 

 the form which it is destined to preserve for the rest of 

 its life. They grow very rapidly after this, assume their 

 carnivorous tastes, and come on to the dry land to 

 search for worms and insects. During the summer 

 frogs change their skin several times — at least they 

 throw off their epidermis. They are said to be long- 

 lived, though there is no certainty as to tlie exact 

 number of years. It is ascertained, however, as a 

 fact, that they do not retain their reproductive powers 

 beyond tin-ee or four years. The flesli of frogs is 

 white, delicate, and contains much gelatine. In Eng- 

 land frogs are not eaten, indeed are rather looked upon 

 witli disgust as an article of food ; hut in France and 

 some other parts of Europe a great consumption of 

 these creatures takes place. They are taken in various 

 ways — caught with a hook, or in little nets, or drawn 

 to the shore by means of rakes. Sometimes they are 

 fished for at night, and with the aid of torches, tlie 

 light of which attracts them. They are considered 

 best, as food, in autumn, just previous to their seeking 

 their winter's retreat ; for at that period they are fatter 

 and in better condition, and their flesh is of a more 

 delicate flavour. In spring they are less delicate, and 

 not so well flavoured ; but notwithstanding tliat, many 

 are taken at that season, as they are then more easily 

 caught. In some places on the continent tliere are 

 depots, where frogs are kept in reserve to be sold at 

 all seasons of the year. Gardens are furnished with 

 pieces of water for the purpose, and surrounded with 

 walls to prevent their escape. About a century ago, 

 or perhaps more, frogs were much more in request as an 

 article of food than they are now. A native of Auvergne, 

 it is said, of the name of Simon, made a considerable 

 fortune in Paris, by fattening up, in a suburb of that 

 city, the frogs which he had collected in his own 

 country. Even at the present day in France, and in 

 various parts of Italy, these creatures are to be found 

 at certain seasons in most of the markets. In Ger- 

 many too, they form a portion of the food of the people, 

 and in that country, it is said, all parts of the animal 

 are eaten except the skin and viscera ; whereas in 

 France only the hind legs are used for that purpose. 

 They are dressed like fish, and served up with wine or 

 white sauce. 



The species of this group, the Tailless Batrachians, 

 Vol. II. 



are found in all parts of the world. Jlany species 

 have been described ; seventy-five distinct members 

 of this section alone (Ranina) being enumerated in the 

 Catalogue of the British Museum. It is a curious fact, 

 that some have been found existing in the waters of 

 hot springs. Spallanzani has recorded their being 

 seen by him in the hot baths of Pisa, in a temperature 

 of 37° of Reaumur — equal to 115° Fahrenheit. None, 

 however, it would appear, have ever been found in any 

 volcanic islands. This curious fact was stated by Bory 

 St. Vincent, and since then has been confirmed by Mr. 

 Darwin. 



EANA TEMPOEARIA. — This is the most abundant 

 of all the species of the Ranina in this country. In 

 Great Britain it is called the Common frog, but on the 

 continent it is known by the name of the Red frog 

 — to distinguish it from the Green or Edilile frog, 

 which is tlieir common frog. It is tolerably abun- 

 dant tlu'oughout all Europe, and lives much on land 

 during the summer season. In this country it is 

 found in moist meadows and gardens ; and while 

 the Green frog rarely forsakes the water, this species 

 must be sought for amongst bushes and long grass, 

 even a long way from the neighbourhood of streams. 

 The male does not possess the vocal sacs, and from 

 its not in consequence liaving such a loud croak, it 

 has been sometimes called the JIute frog. It does, 

 however, emit this sound, but, it is said, chiefly when 

 under water. The Common frog is of a brown colour, 

 inclining more or less to yellowish or reddish-brown 

 on the upper side, spotted irregularly with black, brown, 

 or brownish-gray, with transverse bands of the same 

 colour on the legs. The under surface is yellowish- 

 white, sometimes with spots simflar to those on the 

 back, but smaller and fewer. One of the most char- 

 acteristic marks of the species is an elongated patch of 

 brown or brownish-black behind the eyes, on each 

 side, and extending from the eye to the shoulder. It 

 is from tliis distinguishing mark that it has obtained 

 the name of iemporaria — in allusion to this patch on 

 the temples. The skin is naked and smooth, and the 

 animal is remarkable for its changes of colour. These 

 changes, says Professor Bell, although certainly much 

 less striking and considerable, are scarcely less varied 

 than those exhibited by the chameleon. At the 

 approach of winter they retire to th(;ir hybernating 

 retreats, and remain during that season in a state of 

 torpidity. Their winter quarters are generally at the 

 bottom of ponds, amongst the mud, and they are some- 

 times to be found in such places in large numbers, 

 embracing each other so closely as to appear like 

 one continuous mass. Though, as we have stated 

 above, the Common frog of England is found through- 

 out the greater part of Europe, and, according to 

 Dr. Giinther, even in Japan, in China, and North 

 America, it has been frequently related that it does 

 not exist, as an indigenous species, in Ireland. Any 

 person travelling in that country at the present day 

 can have no difliculty in ascertaining the fact of their 

 existence ; but it would appear that they were only 

 introduced there a little after the beginning of the 

 eighteenth century. 



THE EDIBLE, OK GREEN FROG (Rana csculenta or 



M 



