[ 6 54 ] 
figures and information, as appears fince by the ac- 
count publifhed by Mr, Seba of his curious cabinet 
of natural hiftory, in two pompous folio volumes, a 
copy of which, finely illuminated, is now in the 
British Mufeum. 
i 
Mrs, Merian's Defer iff ion is as follows, 
<c The firft figure fhews the perfedfc frog, brown, 
“ yellow, and green, in fpots, but paler on the belly, 
“ the hinder feet webbed like thofe of a goofe, the 
“ fore feet without webs : the fecond figure repre- 
“ fents the firft change the frog undergoes, by the 
“ growing out of a tail; after which it gradually ac- 
“ quires the fhape of a fifth, the two fore feet decreaf- 
“ ing and periftiing by degrees, as is {hewn by figure 
“ 3. alfo the decreafe of the hinder legs, as is 
“ fhewn by figure 4. and, laftly, the frog is changed 
“ to a perfect fifti, as at figure 5. 
■ u The Indians and Europeans of Surinam call 
c< thefe fifties Jakies; they are cartilaginous, of 
<c a fubftance like our Muftela -f, and very deli- 
<£ cate food. A bone (or cartilage) runs down the 
<{ back, with fmall bones all over the body, which 
<c is divided into equal parts; they are adorned with 
“ tender beautiful fcales, are firft of a darkilh co- 
“ lour, and afterwards grey.” 
The frogs of Afia and Africa are defcribed by this 
author, plate 72. to change gradually from fifties into 
frogs, as the European frogs do ; but then fhe tells 
f A fifh of the cartilaginous kind : See Willoughby de Pifcibus, 
Tab. B. 5. and Edwards’s Gleanings, Tab. 288. 
US 
