430 
SPANISH-TOWN. 
observations to the surviving last one, he would have 
decided what their forms were, after he perceived they 
had tails terminating like slender oars, and great big 
eyes reflecting rays of silver green, and would have 
written grenouillettes for tetards. I have referred to 
this occurrence, from Moreau de St. Mery, because 
it possibly explains the source from whence we de- 
rived our strangers.” ^ 
Feh, 6. 1847. — I have fathomed the mystery of 
the unknown toads and frogs, mentioned in my last 
two letters as recently and suddenly appearing among 
us. Mr. Anthony Davis, a proprietor in St. An- 
drew’s, some two years ago (viz. in Nov. 1844) im- 
ported two dozen anurous Batrachians from Barba- 
does, and established them in the ponds of Molina’s 
estate. The great sandy gully that drains the up- 
lands of Liguanea swept them, in the late rains, into 
the swamps between this place and Kingston, and 
from thence dispersed them through the savannas. 
These reptiles were imported for the purpose of 
* “ I quote the words of Moreau de St. Mery. — ‘ On eprouva 
depuis le mois de Novembre, 1785 jusqu’au 5 Mai, 1786, une se- 
cheresse desolante. — Le meme jour 5 Mai, 1786, il tomba, durant 
une forte brise d’Est, dans plusieurs endroits de la ville (Port au 
Prince) et de la plaine (cul de sac) une grande quantite d’oeufs noirs, 
qu’on vit eclore le lendemain. M. Mozard, qui guarda une cinquen' 
taine de ces petits animaux dans un fla 5 on a demi rempli d’eau, les 
vit changer de peau plusieurs fois. Ils ressemblaient a des tetards, et 
devinrent trois fois plus gros que ne le sont des cousins ou tnarin- 
gouins dans I’etat de vers. Leur queue etait terminee comme un 
aviron effile vers I’extremit^, et leurs yeux etaient grands, vifs, et 
r^fl^chissant plusieurs rayons d’un vert argentin. Ils dtaient formes 
d’une maniere visqueuse, et le 2 Juin ils s’entredevouerent.’ — Descrip. 
de Saint Dominique, ii. 413. 
