The Ranidae: How to breed, feed and raise the edible frog by Unknown

Figure 1 represents the embryo as it appears several days after the egg is deposited. Figure 2 gives an outline of its form; the arrows at the side of the head shows the currents of water, which are seen to flow to the branchiae by the breathing of the young animal. A short period brings it to the form represented in Nos. 3 and 4, the latter representing the head. Figure 5 shows the form of the tadpole when first hatched, which usually takes place about four weeks after the depositing of the egg. Figures 6, 7 and 8 shows various stages of its development; the latter representing the tadpole, called pollywog sometimes; this, for some time, now undergoes little change of form, but increases in size. At length the hinder legs bud, and are gradually developed, as seen in No. 9; the fore legs are ere long produced in a similar manner.

HATCHINGS. The tail begins now to diminish, as seen in No. 10, and is finally absorbed into the body and disappears. The tadpole (which, for a time, is like a fish and breathing by branchiae, or gills, and feeding on vegetable food of fishes) is now a frog; breathes the air by true lungs, and betakes itself to the land, where it pursues the avocations of its new and higher life, whereas it before swam by means of a tail it now leaps, and as before, it ate only roots and grass, it now becomes a hunter of insects and worms. This, or a very similar process of reproduction, is common to all species of the family. The Rana Frogs form the highest group of the Batrachian class. They are active creatures, feeding on insects and worms. Those which live upon the ground in the neighborhood of standing water, and pass a considerable portion of their lives in the water, have their toes pointed, and those of the hinder feet united, almost to the tips, by membrane.