1884.] EDIBLE FROG IN ENGLAND. 575 



specimens, which proved to belong to the typical Rana esculenta as 

 occurring in the north of France and Belgium. These came from 

 FoulJen, Norfolk, one of the very spots where the Frogs had been 

 turned out by Mr. Berney, and of which they are, without the 

 slightest doubt, the descendants. Both specimens were grass-green 

 and had the moderate-sized metatarsal tubercle of the animal so 

 graphically and accurately described by RiJsel. 



Shortly after, Mr. G. E. Mason made an excursion to Norfolk 

 with the special object of ascertaining the distribution of the Edible 

 Frog in that county. He visited Stow Bedon first, and succeeded 

 in finding a large number of recently transformed young and others 

 in the last stage of the tadpole, some of which he has kindly pre- 

 sented to the Natural History Museum. 



Mr. Mason has furnished me with the following notes : — " On 

 the common (of Stow Bedon) the species is, I think, restricted to 

 the north-west portion ; it was absent in all the ponds which are 

 distributed over the remaining tract. This portion is undoubtedly 

 seldom disturbed, and a number of Teal and other water-fowl had 

 made so favourable a spot their home ; this is, I think, suflficient to 

 account for the absence of Frogs. As to the range of the species 

 beyond Stow Common, I have unfortunately gained but little trust- 

 worthy information. During my daily rides round the adjacent 

 districts, I availed myself of every opportunity to search for specimens 

 and gain information ; but owing to the excessive heat, and extreme 

 dryness of the land, I found the former object a most difficult 

 occupation. Scoulton (3f miles from Stow Bedon station) was the 

 only neighbourhood near Stow where I could learn the species had 

 been observed, and, according to the testimony of a large land pro- 

 prietor, they were readily found two or three years back in nearly all 

 the ponds &c. on his estate, but since that time they have quite 

 disappeared." Mr. Mason, having sent the gentleman just alluded 

 to specimens from Stow Bedon, was assured they were positively 

 identical with those of Scoulton. 



Mr. Mason also caught a fine adult examyde of the true Bana 

 esculenta on "Wereham fen, nearly six miles from Foulden, and sub- 

 sequently found other specimens on Foulden fen. He informs me 

 that that form is distributed over all the fen-land in that part of the 

 county, and is well known as the " French Frog." " I put a few- 

 specimens of M. esculenta from Foulden in the ponds &c. at 

 Brandon ; the surroundings are extremely favourable, and I fully 

 expected I should have found one of the two forms there." 



It is clear that the Frogs of Stow Bedon and Scoulton (and Foul- 

 mire fen, where they have disappeared for many years past) are 

 quite distinct from those of Foulden and Wereham. Those from 

 the latter places are certainly the descendants of Mr. Berney's im- 

 portations from Paris, Brussels, and St. Omcr in 1837-42. Of the 

 introduction of the other form we have no authentic record ; but 

 as they belong to a race known to occur only in Italy, we must come 

 to the conclusion that they were imported from that country and 

 the suggestion of the late John \\'^olley, that they were introduced 

 by the monks, appears the most plausible. 



