352 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE.

fact that the boy was about to be sent to boarding school and
that he was afraid the toad lacking his attention would die in
his absence. The duke promised to look after the toad and
apprise the boy from time to time of its condition. During
the time he was at school he received five letters couched in
the following terms :—Sv¥rathfieldsaye, July 27, 1837. ‘* Field
Marshal the Duke of Wellington is happy to inform William
Harries that his toad is alive and well.’’ When the boy re-
turned for his Christmas holidays, the toad was as the duke
said, ‘‘ Alive and well,’’ but, in accordance with the usual
habits of these animals, he was in his winter's sleep, in which
he remained until spring and genial weather brought him
from his well-guarded hole in the ground.
The The Common Frog (Rana Temporaria) is now
Common found all over the British Isles. Formerly un-
Frog. —_ known in Ireland it was introduced there about
the year 1700 and has since spread all over the country. The
frog is more sociable than the toad and is often seen and heard
in large numbers ; his habits however are very similar and his
mode of seizing his prey the same. The Edible F rog belongs
to Europe, where it is used as an article of food and is not
found in England. The Bull Frog is an Indian variety and
attains to a great size. The American Bull Frog is also an in-
teresting species.

“aii Mr. Jesse gives the following illustration of the
Ingenuity of ingenuity of the Frog: ‘‘I may mention a curi-
the Frog.

ous observation made in regard to some frogs that
had fallen down a small area, which gave light to one of the
windows of my house. The top of the area being on a level
with the ground, was covered with some iron bars, through
which the frogs fell. During dry and warm weather, when
they could not absorb much moisture, I observed them to ap-
pear almost torpid ; but when it rained they became impatient
of their confinement, and endeavoured to make their escape,
which they did in the following manner. The wall of the