I SUMMARY OF CHAPTER n 



their appearance. A little pair of hind-limbs appears at the 

 root of the tail, and a pair of fore-limbs behind the head 

 (5, 6). As these increase in size the tail slowly dwindles, 

 the head and trunk assume the characteristic frog-form, and 

 the little animal now comes on land and hops about as a 

 small, tailed frog (7). As growth goes on the tail further 

 diminishes and finally disappears altogether, the transforma- 

 tion or metamorphosis being thus completed (8). 



Death and Decomposition. — Frogs may live for many 

 years, but, sooner or later, either in the ordinary course of 

 nature or by accident, they die. The heart stops beating, 

 the flesh undergoes what is called " death-stiffening," 

 becoming hard and rigid, and all vital manifestations cease. 

 Before long the process of decomposition ensues, the flesh, 

 viscera, etc., soften and emit a bad smell, and in course of 

 time rot away completely, leaving only the bones. 



Summary of Chapter. — The very brief and cursory study 

 we have made so far shows us (i) that a frog has certain 

 definite parts arranged in a particular way ; (2) that it 

 performs characteristic movements, some of them, such as 

 leaping and swimming, voluntary ; others, such as breathing, 

 involuntary ; (3) that it takes in solid food, consisting mainly 

 of vegetable matter in the tadpole, of living animals in the 

 adult; (4) that it gives off waste matters; (5) that it 

 reproduces its kind by laying eggs, which develop only if 

 impregnated ; (6) that it undergoes a transformation or 

 metamorphosis, the egg giving rise to a larva, the tadpole, 

 which, after living for a time the life of a fish, gradually 

 changes into a frog. 



