us 



deprived of their heads. They are perhaps the longest lived 

 of all animals. The land kinds generally reside in woody 

 places, in the vicinity of pools or small streams, most of these 

 form burrows, to which they retire during wet or cold wea- 

 ther. The fresh water species resort to lakes and rivers, 

 particularly where they are muddy ; many of them bit« 

 desperately, and attack with much ferocity. 



2. Rana. Frog. Body naked; feet four; tail (in the 

 adult) wanting. This genus is divided into Frogs, 

 which have smooth bodies^ and long legs ; and Toads, 

 which generally have their bodies warted, or pustu- 

 lated, and short legs. The motions of the latter kinds 

 are slow, usually crawling, and their aspect disgusting; 

 whilst the actions of the Frogs are lively^ and they 

 generally leap. They are further distinguishable by 

 their different modes of depositing their spawn y that of 

 Frogs is in jelly-like masses^ and of Toads is a kind of 

 double chaiTiy frequently several feet in length. In 

 most of the species the fore-feet are four toed, and the 

 hind ones five toed, without claws ; in those kinds 

 called Tree- Frogs, the feet are palmated, and fur- 

 nished with round tubercles^ from which exudes a 

 glutinous substance, which enables them to adhere to 

 the leaves and small branches of trees, amongst which 

 they constantly reside. 



All these Animals feed on insects and worms, and are 

 themselves the prey of Water-Fowl, Snakes, other Reptiles, 

 and Fishes ; some of the species are used as food by Man, 

 They mostly frequent low^ damp, noisome places, particularly 



