the frog, in zoology, a genus belonging to the order of amphibia-reptilia. The body is naked, furnished with four feet, and without any tail. There are 17 species. The most remarkable are,

1. The temporaria, or common frog. This is an animal so well known, that it needs no description; but some of its properties are very singular.

Its spring, or power of taking large leaps, is remarkably great, and it is the best swimmer of all four-footed animals. Nature hath finely adapted its parts for those ends, the fore members of the body being very lightly made, the hind legs and thighs very long, and furnished with very strong muscles.

While in a tadpole state, it is entirely a water animal; the work of generation is performed in that element, as may be seen in every pond during spring, when the female remains oppressed by the male for a number of days.

The work of propagation is extremely singular, it being certain that the frog has not a penis intrans. There appears a strong analogy in this case between a certain class of the vegetable kingdom and those animals; for it is well known, that when the female frog deposits its spawn, the male instantaneously impregnates it with what we may call a farina fecundans, in the same manner as the palm tree-conveys fructification to the flowers of the female, which would otherwise be barren.

As soon as the frogs are released from their tadpole state, they immediately take to land; and if the weather has been hot, and there fall any refreshing showers, you may see the ground for a considerable space perfectly blackened by myriads of these animals, seeking for some secure lurking places. Some philosophers, not giving themselves time to examine into this phenomenon, imagined them to have been generated in the clouds, and showered on the earth; but had they, like our Derham, but traced them to the next pool, they would have found a better solution of the difficulty.

As frogs adhere closely to the backs of their own species, so we know they will do the same by fish. Walton mentions a strange story of their destroying pike; but that they will injure, if not entirely kill carp, is a fact indisputable, from the following relation. A very few years ago, on fishing a pond belonging to Mr Pit, of Encomb, Dorsetshire, great numbers of the carp were found each with a frog mounted on it, the hind legs clinging to the back, and the fore legs fixed in the corner of each eye of the fish, which were thin and greatly wasted, seized by carrying so disagreeable a load. These frogs Mr Pennant supposes to have been males disappointed of a mate.

The croaking of frogs is well known; and from that in fenny countries they are distinguished by ludicrous titles: thus they are styled Dutch nightingales, and Boston moaters.

Yet there is a time of the year when they become mute, neither croaking nor opening their mouths for a whole month: this happens in the hot season, and that is in many places known to the country people by the name of the paddock moon. It is said, that during that period their mouths are so closed, that no force (without killing the animal) will be capable of opening them.

These, as well as other reptiles, feed but a small space of the year. The food of this genus is flies, insects, and snails. Toads are said to feed also on bees, and to do great injury to those useful insects.

During winter, frogs and toads remain in a torpid state: the last of which will dig into the earth, and cover themselves with almost the same agility as the mole.

2. The eucneta, or edible frog, differs from the former, in having a high protuberance in the middle of of the back, forming a very sharp angle. Its colours are also more vivid, and its marks more distinct; the ground colour being a pale or yellowish green, marked with rows of black spots from the head to the rump. This, and (Mr Pennant thinks) the former, are eaten. He has seen in the markets at Paris whole hampers full, which the vendors were preparing for the table, by skinning and cutting off the fore-parts, the loins and legs only being kept; but his strong dislike to these reptiles prevented a close examination into the species.

3. In the country of Pennsylvania, and some other parts of North America, there is a very large species of frogs called the bull-frog. These make a monstrous roaring noise like a bull, only somewhat more hoarse. Their size is superior to that of any other of the genus, and they can spring forward three yards at a leap. By this means they will equal in speed a very good horse in its swiftest course. Their places of abode are ponds, or bogs with stagnant water; but they never frequent streams. When many of them are together, they make such a horrid noise, that two people cannot understand each other's speech. They croak all together, and then stop for a little and begin again. It seems as if they had a captain among them: for when he begins to croak, all the others follow; and when he stops, they also become silent. When this captain gives the signal for stopping, you hear a note like peep coming from him. In the day-time they seldom make any great noise unless the sky is covered; but in the night-time they may be heard at the distance of a mile and an half. When they croak, they are commonly near the surface of the water, under the bushes, and have their heads out of the water. By going slowly, therefore, one may get up almost quite close to them before they go away. As soon as they are quite under water, they think themselves safe, though it be ever so shallow. These creatures kill and eat young ducklings and goslings, and sometimes carry off chickens that come too near the water; when beaten, they cry out almost like little children. As soon as the air begins to grow a little cool in autumn, they hide themselves under the mud in the bottom of stagnant waters, and lie there torpid during the winter. As soon as the weather grows mild towards summer, they begin to get out of their holes and croak.

4. The toad, or toad, is the most deformed and hideous of all animals. The body is broad; the back flat, and covered with a pimply dusky hide; the belly large, swaggling, and swelling out; the legs short, and its pace laboured and crawling; its retreat gloomy and filthy: in short, its general appearance is such as to strike one with disgust and horror. Yet it is said by those who have resolution to view it with attention, that its eyes are fine: to this it seems that Shakespeare alludes, when he makes his Juliet remark,

Some say the lark and leathed toad change eyes: As if they would have been better bestowed on so charming a froggier than on this raucous reptile.

But the hideous appearance of the toad is such as to make this one advantageous feature overlooked, and to have rendered it in all ages an object of horror, and the origin of most tremendous inventions. Aelian makes its venom so potent, that basilisk-like, it conveyed death by its very look and breath; but Juvenal is content with making the Roman ladies who were weary of their husbands, form a potion from its entrails, in order to get rid of the good man. This opinion begat others of a more dreadful nature; for in after-times superstition gave it preternatural powers, and made it a principal ingredient in the incantations of nocturnal hags.

This animal was believed by some old writers to have a stone in its head, fraught with great virtues medical and magical: it was distinguished by the name of the reptile, and called the toad-stone, bufoniter, crapaudine, krottenstein; but all its fancied powers vanished on the discovery of its being nothing but the fossil tooth of the sea-wolf*, or of some other flat-toothed fish, not unfrequent in our island as well as several other countries.

But these fables have been long exploded. And as to the notion of its being a poisonous animal, it is probable, that its excessive deformity, joined to the faculty it has of emitting a juice from its pimples, and a dusky liquid from its hind parts, is the foundation of the report.

That it has any noxious qualities there seem to have been no proofs in the smallest degree satisfactory, tho' we have heard many strange relations on that point. On the contrary, there have been many who have taken them in their naked hands, and held them long without receiving the least injury: it is also well known that quacks have eaten them, and have besides squeezed their juices into a glass and drank them with impunity. We may say also, that these reptiles are a common food to many animals; to buzzards, owls, Norfolk plovers, ducks, and snakes, who would not touch them were they in any degree noxious.

So far from having venomous qualities, they have of late been considered as if they had beneficial ones; particularly in the cure of the most terrible of diseases, the cancer, by suction: (See British Zoology, vol. iii. Append. p. 389. et seq.) But, from all circumstances, they seem only, as Mr Pennant observes, to have rendered a horrible complaint more loathsome.

The most full information concerning the nature and qualities of this animal is contained in the following letters from Mr Arscott and Mr Pittfield to Dr Miller. "It would give me great pleasure (says Mr Arscott) to be able to inform you of any particulars worthy Mr Pennant's notice, concerning the toad who lived so many years with us, and was so great a favourite. The greatest curiosity in it was its becoming so remarkably tame. It had frequented some steps before the hall-door some years before my acquaintance commenced with it, and had been admired by my father for its size (which was of the largest I ever met with), who constantly paid it a visit every evening. I knew it myself above 30 years; and by constantly feeding it, brought it to be so tame, that it always came to the candle, and looked up as if expecting to be taken up and brought upon the table, where I always fed it with insects of all sorts: it was fondest of flesh maggots, which I kept in bran; it would follow them, and, when within a proper distance, would fix its eye, and remain motionless for near a quarter of a minute, as if preparing for the stroke, which was an instantaneous throwing its tongue at a great distance upon the insect, which stuck to the tip by a glutinous matter; the motion is quicker than the eye can follow (a).

"I always imagined that the root of its tongue was placed in the forepart of its under jaw, and the tip towards its throat; by which the motion must be a half circle; by which, when its tongue recovered its situation, the insect at the tip would be brought to the place of deglutition. I was confirmed in this by never observing any internal motion in its mouth, excepting one swallow the instant its tongue returned. Possibly I might be mistaken; for I never dissected one, but contented myself with opening its mouth, and slightly inspecting it.

"You may imagine, that a toad, generally detested, (although one of the most inoffensive of all animals) so much taken notice of and befriended, excited the curiosity of all comers to the house, who all desired to see it fed; so that even ladies so far conquered the horrors instilled into them by nurses, as to desire to see it. This produced innumerable and improbable reports, making it as large as the crown of a hat, &c. &c."

The following are answers from the same gentleman to some queries proposed by Mr Pennant.

"Firstly, I cannot say how long my father had been acquainted with the toad before I knew it; but when I first was acquainted with it, he used to mention it as the old toad I've known so many years; I can answer for 36 years.

"Secondly, No toads that I ever saw appeared in the winter season. The old toad made its appearance as soon as the warm weather came, and I always concluded it retired to some dry bank to repose till the spring. When we new-lay'd the steps, I had two holes made in the third step on each, with a hollow of more than a yard long for it, in which I imagine it slept, as it came from thence at its first appearance.

"Thirdly, It was seldom provoked: neither that toad (nor the multitudes I have seen tormented with great cruelty) ever showed the least desire of revenge by spitting or emitting any juice from their pimples. Sometimes, upon taking it up, it would let out a great quantity of clear water, which, as I have often seen it do the same upon the steps when quite quiet, was certainly its urine, and no more than a natural evacuation.

"Fourthly, A toad has no particular enemy for the spider; he used to eat five or six with his millipedes (which I take to be its chief food) that I generally provided for it before I found out that flesh maggots, by their continual motion, was the most tempting bait; but, when offered, it eat blowing flies and humble bees that come from the rat-tailed maggot in gutters, or in short any insect that moved. I imagine, if a bee was to be put before a toad, it would certainly eat it to its cost; but as bees are seldom flitting at the same time that toads are, they can seldom come in their way, as they seldom appear after sun-rising or before sun-set. In the heat of the day they will come to the mouth of their hole, I believe, for air. I once from my parlour window observed a large toad I had in the bank of a bowling-green, about 12 at noon, a very hot day, very busy and active upon the grass; so uncommon an appearance made me go out to see what it was, when I found an innumerable swarm of winged ants had dropped round his hole, which temptation was as irresistible as a turtle would be to a luxurious alderman.

"Fifthly, Whether our toad ever propagated its species, I know not; rather think not, as it always appeared well, and not lessened in bulk, which it must have done, I should think, if it had discharged so large a quantity of spawn as toads generally do. The females that are to propagate in the spring, I imagine, instead of retiring to dry holes, go into the bottom of ponds, and lie torpid among the weeds: for to my great surprize, in the middle of the winter, having for amusement put a long pole into my pond, and twisted it till it had gathered a large volume of weed, on taking it off I found many toads; and having cut some asunder with my knife, by accident, to get off the weed, found them full of spawn not thoroughly formed. I am not positive, but think there were a few males in March: I know there are 30 males (b) to one female, 12 or 14 of whom I have seen clinging round a female: I have often disengaged her, and put her to a solitary male, to see with what eagerness he would seize her. They impregnate the spawn as it is drawn (c) out in long strings, like a necklace, many yards

(a) This rapid capture of its prey might give occasion to the report of its fascinating powers, Linnaeus says, Insolita in faucibus fascinum revocat.

(b) Mr John Hunter has assured me, that during his residence at Belleisle, he dissected some hundreds of toads, yet never met with a single female among them.

(c) I was incredulous as to the obstetric offices of the male toad; but since the end is so well accounted for, and the fact established by such good authority, belief must take place.

Mr Demours, in the Memoirs of the French Academy, as translated by Dr Templeman, vol. i. p. 371, has been very particular in respect to the male toad as aiding the part of an accoucheur; his account is curious, and claims a place here.

"In the evening of one of the long days in summer, Mr Demours, being in the king's garden, perceived two toads coupled together at the edge of an hole, which was formed in part by a great stone at the top.

"Curiosity drew him to see what was the occasion of the motions he observed, when two facts equally new surprized him. The first was the extreme difficulty the female had in laying her eggs, inasmuch that she did not seem capable of being delivered of them without some assistance. The second was, that the male was mounted on the back of the female, and exerted all his strength with his hinder feet in pulling out the eggs, whilst his fore-feet embraced her breast.

"In order to apprehend the manner of his working in the delivery of the female, the reader must observe, that the paws of these animals, as well those of the fore-feet as of the hinder, are divided into several toes, which can perform the office of fingers.

"It must be remarked likewise, that the eggs of this species of toads are included each in a membranous coat that is very firm, in which is contained the embryo; and that these eggs, which are oblong and about two lines in length, being fastened one to another by a short but very strong cord, form a kind of chaplet, the beads of which are distant from each other about the half of their length. It is by drawing this cord with his paw that the male performs the function of a midwife, and acquires himself in it with a dexterity that one would not expect from so lumpish an animal.

"The yards long, not in a large quantity of jelly, like frogs spawn.

"Sixthly, Insects being their food, I never saw any toad show any liking or dislike to any plant (p).

"Seventhly, I hardly remember any persons taking it up except my father and myself; I do not know whether it had any particular attachment to us.

"Eighthly, In respect to its end, I answer this last query. Had it not been for a tame raven, I make no doubt but it would have been now living; who one day seeing it at the mouth of its hole, pulled it out, and although I released it, pulled out one eye, and hurt it so, that notwithstanding its living a twelve-month it never enjoyed itself, and had a difficulty of taking its food, missing the mark for want of its eye: before that accident, it had all the appearance of perfect health."

5. The rubeta, or natter-jack, frequents dry and sandy places: it is found on Putney common, and also near Revelsby abbey, Lincolnshire. It never leaps, neither does it crawl with the slow pace of a toad, but its motion is liker to running. Several are found commonly together, and, like others of the genus, they appear in the evenings. The upper part of the body is of a dirty yellow, clouded with brown, and covered with porous pimples of unequal sizes: on the back is a yellow line. The upper side of the body is of a paler hue, marked with black spots, which are rather rough. On the fore-feet are four divided toes; on the hind five, a little webbed. The length of the body is two inches and a quarter; the breadth, one and a quarter: the length of the fore-legs, one inch one-sixth; of the hind-legs, two inches. We are indebted to Joseph Banks, Esq; for this account.

7. The pipal, or Surinam toad, is more ugly than even the common one. The body is flat and broad; the head small; the jaws, like those of a mole, are extended, and evidently formed for rooting in the ground: the skin of the neck forms a sort of wrinkled collar: the colour of the head is of a dark chestnut, and the eyes are small: the back, which is very broad, is of a lightish grey, and seems covered over with a number of small eyes, which are round, and placed at nearly equal distances. These eyes are very different from what they seem; they are the animal's eggs, covered with their shells, and placed there for hatching. These eggs are buried deep in the skin, and in the beginning of incubation but just appear; and are very visible when the young animal is about to burst from its confinement. They are of a reddish, shining yellow colour; and the spaces between them are full of small warts, resembling pearls.

This is their situation previous to their coming forth; but nothing so much demands our admiration as the manner of their production. The eggs, when formed in the ovary, are sent, by some internal canals, which anatomists have not hitherto described, to lie and come to maturity under the bony substance of the back: in this state they are impregnated by the male, whose seed finds its way by pores very singularly contrived, and pierces not only the skin but the periosteum: the skin, however, is still apparently entire, and forms a very thick covering over the whole brood; but as they advance to maturity, at different intervals, one after another, the egg seems to start forward, and burgeons from the back, becomes more yellow, and at last breaks; when the young one puts forth its head: it still, however, keeps its situation until it has acquired a proper degree of strength, and then it leaves the shell, but still continues to keep upon the back of the parent. In this manner the pipal is seen travelling with her wonderful family on her back, in all the different stages of maturity. Some of the strange progeny, not yet come to sufficient perfection, appear quite torpid, and as yet without life in the egg: others seem just beginning to rise through the skin; here peeping forth from the shell; and there, having entirely forsaken their prison: some are sporting at large upon the parent's back, and others descending to the ground to try their own fortune below. The male pupil is every way larger than the female, and has the skin less tightly drawn round the body. The whole body is covered with papillae, resembling pearls; and the belly, which is of a bright yellow, seems as if it were sewed up from the throat to the vent, a seam being seen to run in that direction. This animal, like the rest of the frog kind, is most probably harmless.