74 MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



tion class, forming an intermediate, connecting link 

 between Fishes on the one hand, and Eeptiles on 

 the other. 



Amphibians can hardly be said to play an import- 

 ant part as far as man is concerned. The legs of the 

 Edible-Frog (Rana esculenta) are eaten in France, 

 where they are reckoned a great delicacy, fit only 

 for the table of the opulent and dainty. In Mexico, 

 another species, rejoicing in the almost unpronounc- 

 able name of " Axolotl," is at times an article of food ; 

 but from their small size and slight muscular deve- 

 lopment, they cannot afford much nourishment. 

 The different viscera of the Toad, or at times the 

 entire animal dry roasted, and reduced to powder, 

 formed in the good old times an article of Materia 

 Medica, and entered into the composition of many a 

 wonderful nostrum, and in Sir Kenelm Digby's 

 "Choice and Experimented Receipts in Physick and 

 Chirurgery/' the calcined powder is ranked along 

 with the " fat of a buck rabbit/' " powdered cock- 

 chaffers/' &c, as capable of performing wonderful 

 cures. 



The Amphibians are here classified according to 

 Professor Bell's plan, which seems to form a very 

 natural arrangement. In the detail some of the 

 families given may afterwards require to be united ; 

 but as many of the genera are yet but imperfectly 

 understood, it has been considered advisable rather 

 to amplify the sub-divisions, as more useful for 

 obtaining a practical acquaintance with the class. 



