RAN 



R A N 



young birds of different kinds, mice, and even ducklings, 

 and, as it docs with tJie reft of its prey, fwallowiiig tliein 

 whole. At the end of tour years it has readied its full 

 growth. It begins to breed the year following, and the 

 period of its life is fometimes extended to fixtecn years. 



AusXKALlsiA ; Auftralian Frog. The body of this is 

 brown above, beneath blueifh ; the fides are fpeckled with 

 ochre colour ; the toes of the fore feet are fpiny. It in- 

 habits New Holland. The fecond toe of the hind foot is 

 very long ; the claws are red. 



Paiiadoxa ; Paradoxical Frog. This is of a yellowifh 

 and olive colour, variegated with rufous bands ; the hind 

 legs or thighs are obliquely ilreaked. 



In its general form this fpccies refemblcs the R. tempo- 

 raria. The oblique longitudinal (tripes on the hind legs 

 conilitute the principal mark of diftiiiftiou. There are four 

 toes on the fore fecv, and they are unwebbed ; the hind feet 

 have five toes, and are deeply palmated to the very ends of 

 the toes. Near the lliorteil toe there is an obloug callus, 

 forming a fpurious one. The upper jaw is bcfet with a row 

 of fmall denticulations. This fpecies is a native of South 

 America, and is more common in Surinam than in other 

 places. 



Naturalifts, fays Dr. Shaw, have been extremely puzzled 

 with regard to the real nature of what has been taken for 

 the tadpole of this frog. At one time it was confidered by 

 Linnxus as a fpecies of lizard, and therefore arranged by 

 him under the genus lacerta. At another time he has 

 placed it under the prefent genus, with the fpecific name 

 pifcis. It was defcribed by Edwards under the denomina- 

 tion of the frog-fifh of Surinam. The ftrudlure of the ani- 

 mal, which has been the fubjeft of fo much difcuffion, (hews 

 clearly that it is the larva or tadpole of a frog ; and it is 

 fuppofed, with no fmall degree of probability, that the dif- 

 ferences in the accounts given of this animal by naturalifts 

 have arifen from the difterent ftages of its progrefs, in which 

 it has been found. But as this tadpole is fo much larger in 

 fize, in proportion to the perfeft animal, than any other 

 fpecies yet known, it may be the larva or tadpole of fome 

 of the larger fpecies, and not that of the R. paradoxa, 

 which is but a fmall frog. 



C. Hind Feet very long; the Claios lentlculate. 



Arborea ; Tree-Frog. The body of this fpecies is 

 green, beneath granulate ; feet cleft. Gmelin enumerates 

 five varieties of this fpecies. i. Thofe which have four toes 

 to their fore feet, and five to thofe that are behind ; the 

 knees are warty beneath. 2. Thofe that are of a green co- 

 lour, with a ftraight yellow hue on each fide. 3. The body 

 of this variety is reddifti. 4. Of this it is brownifti-grcen. 

 5. The flendernefs of the body marks this variety. 



" In the beauty of its colours," fays Dr. Shaw, " as 

 well as in the elegance of its form, and agility of its move- 

 ments, the fee-frog exceeds every other European fpecies. 

 It is a native of France, Germany, Italy, and many other 

 European regions, but is not found in the Britifli iflaiids. 

 Its principal refidence, during the fummer months, is on the 

 upper parts of trees, where it wanders among the foliage in 

 queft of infedts, which it catches with extreme celerity ; 

 ftealing foftly towards its prey, in the manner of a cat to- 

 wards a moufe, and, when at the proper diftance, feizing it 

 with a fudden fpring, frequently of more than a foot in 

 height. It often fufpends itfelf by its feet, or abdomen, to 

 the under parts of the leaves ; thus continuing concealed be- 

 neath their fhade. Its fize is fmaller than any European 

 frog, except the R. bombina. Its colour, on the upper 

 parts, is more or lefs bright in different individuals ; the ab- 



domen is whitidi, and marked by numoroiis granules ; the 

 under fiirface of the limbs is nddilh ; and the body is 

 marked on each fide by a longitudinal blackilh or violet co- 

 loured Itreak, feparating tiie green of the upper parts from 

 the white colour of the lower : the inferior edge of this dark 

 lateral ftripe is tinged with yellow. The body is fmooth 

 above, and moderately ftiort or plump ; the hind legs are 

 very long and (lender ; the fore feet have four, and tlie hind 

 feet five toes, all of which terminate in rounded, flat, and 

 dilated tips, the under furface of which, being foft and glu- 

 tinous, enables the animal to hang with perfect fecurity 

 from the leaves of trees, &c. The fkiii of the abdomen is 

 alfo admirably calculated by nature for this peculiar power 

 of adhefion, being covered witli Imall glandular granule;;, in 

 luch a manner as to faften clofely even to the moft poliftied 

 furface ; and the animal can adhere at pleafure to that of 

 glafs, in whatever pofitiou or inclination it be placed, by 

 merely prefling itfelf againft it. 



Though the tree-frog iniiabits the woods during the fum- 

 mer months, yet, on the approach of winter, it retires to 

 the waters, and there fubmerging itfelf in the foft mud, or 

 concealing itfelf beneath the banks, remains in a ftatc of tor- 

 pidity ; and again emerges in the fpring, at which period it 

 depofits its fpawn in the waters, like the reft of this genus. 

 The male at this period inflates its throat in a furprifing 

 manner, and exerts a very loud and ftiarp croak, which may 

 be heard to a vaft diftance. The fpawn is depofited about 

 the end of April, in fmall cluftered malies ; the inclofed 

 globules or embryos being of a pale yellowifli-brown colour. 

 The tadpoles become perfeft frogs, by the total decay of 

 the tail, about the beginning of Angu'l ; and foon begin to 

 afcend the neighbouring trees, where they continue to refide 

 during the remainder of the warm feafon ; as do likewife 

 the parent animals, after the breeding feafon is pail. During 

 their refidence among the trees, they are obferved to be par- 

 ticularly noify on the approach of rain ; fo that they may 

 be confidered, in fome meafure, as a kind of living baro- 

 meters ; more efpecially the males, which, if kept in glafles, 

 and fupplied with proper food, will afford an infallible pre- 

 fage of the changes of weather. 



Leucophvla ; White-fpotted Frog. Body fmooth, 

 hoary, with oblong milk-white fpots ; the fore feet are lo- 

 bate, the hind feet palmate. It inhabits America, and 

 weighs only about forty-fix grains. Eyes of a fine golden 

 colour, and between thefe, on the fides and middle of the 

 back, there are oblong white foots ; the haunches arc 

 flender. 



Squantigera ; Scaly Frog. In this a fcaly band 

 reaches half-way round the back ; the fides and throat have 

 folds ; the fore feet are femi-palmate, the hind feet are pal- 

 mate. This is about two inches long, and is fuppofed to 

 be an inhabitant of America. The body is varied with 

 grey and brown in thick aggregate fpecks, and a few 

 fpots down the hind part of the back, in a ferpentine di- 

 rection ; the band confifts of minute, fub-pellucid, rhomboid, 

 imbricate fcales ; the hind limbs arc twice as long as the 

 fore. 



BoAN'S ; Croaking Frog. Body fmooth, with conti- 

 nuous dots beneath ; feet palmate. There are two varieties. 

 I. The body above is of a blueifli lead-colour. 2. The 

 body of this is inclining to orange. It is found in America, 

 and differs only from the tree-frog in having the feet webbed, 

 and the body marked with white fpots. 



Rana Arborea, the Tree-Frog. See RanukcuLUS Fi- 

 ridis, and the preceding article. 



Rana Pi/calrix. See Lopinus Pifcalrix, and Sea- 

 Devil. 



RANA- 



