Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-06-12
Have Live Frogs or Toads Ever
Been Found in Solid Stone?

Been Found in Solid Stone?
Mr.. Editor.
enthusiastically we read OF the decease and
burial of q certain Uncle Tom who, while in the
cuticle, acted in the capacity Of "body servant to
the lamented George Washr ton; about as often
we read in the public journals that frogs are found
embedded in rock taken from great depths from
the earths surface. An opinion that such is in
reality the case Is unquestionably prevalent, and
the statements of many popular writer's oA natu.
raj history have tended very much to confirm this
opinion. They have detailed number of well
attested instances, and declared that however i'm.
probable they might appear to be- they could not
resist the creditable evidence by which they were
supported. Paragraphs are constantly occurring
here rs well us in European journals recording
Instances, one of which gather from a Scotch
paper to the effect that a frog of extraordinary
size having been found at q coliery, at the depth
of 3lS feet, and the other of a toad dug from the
solid stone at depth of so feet from the SUI face
within tunnel then in course of constl action.
The nature of these animals themselves seems TO
favor this belief. 1t is well known that they re.
main in a state of torpdity during the winter and
are also capable of existing long period without
food or air. The consequenceha has been that poo
pie in general seem to give implicit credence to
every statement on this subject, and are no moe
disposed to call them in question than to dscredit
tho best established physical or historical fac
OF such credulity DR.. Hammond says; ....
"Therc have always been, and always will be-
individuals whose love for the marvellous is SO
great, and whose logical powers arc SO smrll IS
to render them susceptible of entertaining any be.
| lief, no matter how preposterous it may be; and
others, more numerous, who, staggered by facts
which they cannotunderstand, accept any hypotll.
|
| their ignorance"
| MayO's testimony seems to confirm the idea when
he genally remarks, "Credulity usually implies
a want Of intelligence; it frequently arises from
general suggsiness of mind 80 well described
in TIE adage, Il would rather believe than exam.
inc for myself There is no known terminus to
human creduity, whether of things seen un.
seem" and concludes by asking, SIS an eXtrava.
giant skepticism more philosophical than unlimit.
ed credulity?" And with view to give backbone
to my statements will, before resuming discus.
sion of the subject upon which l started to write,
make another quotation: .... ..
at is astonishing how old errors reproduce
themselves. In spite of the advance of science
and the diffusion of Intelligence, men who have
opportunities for knowing better, surrender them.
selves to childish deusions, and gravely PROFOUND
|
do not understand. The three opinions furnished
in proof of the prevalence of c1edulity emanate
from eminent sources-Englsh, American and
French--and ought to suffice with persons of even
the most casual apprehension, i.e., individuals
: endowed with a mere morsel Of mind, and of thC
cheapest giraffe at that.
Now, with all Difference to the general opinion
and the great names by which 1t ia supported, i
may be confidently asserted that there are goot
grounds for regarding it (ths frog business) alto
gether us a gross popular delusion. In order Il
prove this assertion let attention be first paid t.
the nature of the evidence on tue authority O
which instances Of tliis supposed phenomenon
, have been published to the world. Many in
stances detailed by correspondents az well as b!
natural historians are said TO have occurred a
remote distances orin foreign countries, or at
remote period; hence they become difficult Il
J verify. Rarely are these accounts vouched TO
by the name of any responsible person who ha
been an eyewitness of the fact. Generally SOM
obscure coal pit or quarry is designated, the eX
act locality of which it is more difficult to deter
mine. Great paine have been takan by scienti6
| men to arrive at correct conclusion, the result
, being q thorough conviction that the whole 0
the instances investigated have proved to b
; that the phenomenon has been utterly fallaciou
and unfounded. But, further to say nothing G
the utter improbability of an animal living 70
Q thousands of years without air or food, do Tn
discoveries of geology afford any countenance
the common belief of tire existence Of frogs i
stone? Not an instance, so far rs my means {
] investigation extends has presented itself. TIL
0 discourses Of geology may be regarded as tn
!, strongest and most conclusive evidence agaist il
and are amply sufficient to overturn the popula
doctrines, and to set the question forever at resi-
According to common report, instances have fro
h quently occurred in the carbomferous system; o
the other hand, biologists positively assert tina
= nota single specimen of q fossil frog has eve
been seen. Where SO many live frogs are elaine
u to be found it would seem only reasonable to SUI
c pose that the skeletons would not be uncommon
While Impressions of various kinds Of plants an