An Escape.—A butcher in Glasgow found an ordinary-sized living frog in the stomach of a cow, which he had just killed. When laid down, it was full of spirit, and leaped about the slaughter-house, to the astonishment of a considerable crowd. The cow was killed between three and four o'clock in the afternoon; it was supposed she had swallowed the frog when drinking.
THE TOAD.
Not the least wonderful part of the history of the toad is the circumstance of its being frequently found in the bed of solid rocks, and the internal cavities of trees.
Anecdotes.—We find it mentioned in the "Edinburgh Philosophical Journal," that "a specimen of a toad, which was taken alive from the centre of a solid mass of stone, has been sent to the College Museum of Edinburgh by Lord Duncan." It is mentioned, in the "Transactions of the Academy of Sciences," at Paris, that a live toad was found in the centre of an elm-tree, and another in an oak. Both trees were quite sound, and in a healthy condition. To these facts we may add another: It is related by Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, who is a close observer of nature, that, on his estate in East Lothian, a large toad was found in the heart of a smooth, straight beech-tree, at the height of thirty feet from the ground, where it was confined in a circular hole.
A gentleman who resided at Keswick, England, one evening in the latter end of July, observed a rustling among the strawberries in his garden, and on examining what it was, found that a toad had just seized a field-mouse, which had got on the toad's back, scratching and biting to get released, but in vain. The toad kept his hold, and, as the strength of the mouse failed, he gradually drew the unfortunate little animal into his mouth, and gorged him.
CLASS IV. PISCES ... FISHES.
Fishes are extremely numerous in species, and many of them are little known. They are found in every ocean, sea, lake, or river,—under the dreary skies of the poles, and the burning latitude of the tropics. Being the tenants of an element which excludes them from the familiar observation of man, we have fewer anecdotes of them than of those classes which we have already noticed. We shall therefore only attempt to present a few of the most striking that have come to our notice.
THE MACKEREL.