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THE COMMON FROG.

IT is not necessary to enter into a minute description of an animal so well known as the Frog. Its whole appearance is lively, and its form by no means inelegant. The limbs are well calculated for aiding the peculiar motions of the animal, and its webbed hind feet for assisting its progress in the water, to which it occasionally retires during the heats of summer, and again in the frosts of winter. During the latter period, and till the return of warm ther, it lies in a state of torpor, either deeply plunged in the soft mud at the bottom of stag nant waters, or in the hollows beneath their banks. Immediately on coming forth in the spring, they change their skin, and this operation they repeat, generally about every eight or

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ten days, through the whole summer.

The old skin, after it is entirely separated from the body, resembles rather a kind of thin mucus than a membrane.

The spawn of this Frog, which is generally cast in the month of March, consists of a clustered mass of jelly-like transparent, and round eggs, from six hundred to a thousand in number, in the middle of each of which, is contained the embryo or tadpole, in the form of a black speck. This at first sinks to the bottom of the water; but when the eggs begin to enlarge, in consequence of becoming proportionably lighter, it rises to the surface. About the thirtyninth day, the little animals begin to have a motion. They are then so perfectly unlike the Frog in its complete state, that no person could suppose any relationship existed between them. The Tadpole appears to consist merely of head and tail, the former large, black and roundish, the latter slender and bordered with a abroad transparent finny margin. At first it quits the matter in which it was enclosed only occasionally, as if to try its strength, and soon afterwards returns, apparently for the double purpose of retreat and nourishment.

When the animal is about six weeks old, the hind-legs appear, and in about a fortnight, these are succeeded by the fore-legs. The animal now bears a kind of ambiguous appearance, partaking of the form of a Frog and a

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Lizard. The tail, at this period, begins to decrease, at first very gradually, and at length so rapidly, as to disappear in the space of a day or two afterwards; the form is then com. pleted, and the animal for the first time, ventures upon land.

With this wonderful change of body, the animals also change their food, and instead of their former vegetable diet, live upon the smaller species of snails, worms, and insects; the structure of their tongue is admirably adapted for seizing and securing this prey. The root is attached to the fore-part of the mouth, so that when unemployed, it lies with the tip towards the throat. The animal by this singular contrivance, is enabled to bend it to a considerable distance out of its mouth. When it is about to seize on any object, it darts it out with great agility, and the prey is secured on its broad and jagged gluey extremity. This it swallows with so instantaneous a motion, that the eye can scarcely follow it.-Nothing, however, can appear more awkward than a frog engaged with a large worm or small snake; for nature seems to have put a restraint upon the voracity of these animals, by forming them very inaptly for seizing and holding their larger prey. Dr. Townson had a large frog, that one day swallowed in his presence a blind-worm, near a span long, which in its struggles frequently got half its body out again; and when completely

wallowed, its contortions were very visible in the flaccid sides of its victor.

About the end of July, when the young frogs have entirely laid aside their tadpole shape, they quit the water, and soon afterwards emigrate into the woods and meadows. The com. mencement of their journey is always in the evening. They travel all night, and conceal themselves during the day, under stones, or in other recesses; and resume their journey only when the night begins. In the day time, however, whenever it happens to rain, they always come out of their retreats, as if to refresh themselves in the falling moisture. Mr. Ray informs us, that as he was riding one afternoon in Berkshire, he was much surprised at secing an immense multitude of frogs crossing the road. On further examination, he found two or three acres of ground nearly covered with them; they were all proceeding in the same direction, towards some woods and ditches that were before them. He traced them back to the side of a very large pond, which in the spawning-time, he was informed, always so much abounded with frogs, that their croaking was frequently heard at a great distance.

However singular it may appear, the fact is well ascertained, that frogs will sometimes fasten upon the backs of fish, so as not to be easily disengaged. Mr. Pennant mentions that in a pond in Dorsetshire, great numbers of

Carp were found, each having one of those animals clinging to it; the hind legs were upon the back, and the fore legs attached to the corner of each eye; the carp also was much wasted away, being teased by its little persecutor.

Mr.

Frogs are numerous throughout Europe, and in the parts of America, about Hudson's Bay, as far north as latitude 61 degrees. They frequent there the margins of lakes, ponds, rivers, and swamps; and, as the winter approaches, they burrow under the moss, at a considerable distance from the water, where they remain in a frozen state till spring. Hearne says, he has frequently seen them dug up with the moss, frozen as hard as ice. In this state, their legs are as easily broken off as the stem of a tobacco-pipe, without giving them the least sensation: but, by wrapping them. up in warm skins, and exposing them to a slow fire, they soon come to life, and the mutilated animals gain their usual activity. If, however, they are permitted to freeze again, they are past all recovery.

The croaking of frogs is well known to all persons in the country, who live in the neigh bourhood of marshy lands. In the fens of Lincolnshire, in England, these animals have, in consequence of this noise, received, among the common people, the appellation of Dutch Nightingales. For a whole month, in the heat of summer, they, however, become entirely silent;

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