118 



FIRir FROG. 



form ; and when the tail has so far decreased as to 

 be still about a quarter of an inch in length, that 

 remaining portion becomes entirely obliterated in 

 the space of about twelve hours. 



The Fire Frog is a lively, active animal ; leap- 

 ing and swimming with equal, or even superior 

 celerity to the common Frog. When surprised 

 on land, or unable to escape, it squats close to the 

 ground ; at the same time turning back its head 

 and limbs in a singular manner ; and if farther 

 teized or irritated, evacuates from the hinder part 

 of the thighs a kind of saponaceous frothy fluid, 

 of no bad scent, but which in some circumstances 

 has been found to excite a shght sensation of acri- 

 mony in the eyes and nostrils. This species is ob- 

 served to breed at the age of three years, and may 

 be supposed to live about ten ; but this is not en- 

 tirely ascertained. 



The pupil of the eye in this animal is round in 

 the shade, but in a full light triangular : the lobes 

 or cancellated internal divisions of the lungs, are 

 larger or fewer in proportion than in other frogs. 

 Its voice, according to Roesel, is sharper or lighter 

 than in other frogs ; less disagreeable, and in some 

 degree resembling a kind of laugh : according to 

 some authors, however, it rather resembles the 

 tone of a bell, or the note of a Cuckow; for 

 which reason the animal has been called Bana 

 bombina. The male only is vocal. 



From the different descriptions of authors re- 

 lative to the colour, voice, and other particulars, 



