Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-09-11
The Vitality OF Frogs.

How long it is possible for frogs TO
live without air and food has been a
matter of experiment many times ; but
in the face of well-established instances
like those quoted, it is difficult to con-
duct experiments that will be consid-
cred as being Of a conclusive character.
That these creatures should be able TO
live not for centuries only. but for
ages, appears contradictory to all reason
and common sense. in some cases frogs
have been found in cretaceous rocks.
The oldeS fossil tOads and frogs occur
in tertiary rocks. If, therefore, those
found in cretaceous rocks had been
there from their formation. it would be
equivalent to saying that the live frog
could be ages and ages older than its
fossil relative. To most people such
declaration would be the height Of alb
surdity. Thoroughly inquired into it
would probably be discovered that in
each case there was n fiSsure in the
rocks or trees in which frogs have been
found large enough for the admission Of
water and the embryo frog which has
developed there. Ii has been assumed
by some that the frog naturally con-
tainS an acid y which by chemical action
on the stone provides that the space
at the frogs disposal shall be a large
a. us body. \ second hypoth-
e,is is that not the egg. but the prI-
mary frog. scarcely larger than the egg
itself falls into the rock or tree aud
continues to grow. deriving air and food
in the form OF small insects from the
water that penctrates to It's abode.
Certain it Is that frogs, when arii.icially
secured IN air-tlght and water-tight ye,-
els. speedily die. Experiment, made
by members Of the French Academy 4
century ago proved this. Milne Ed
wards, carly in the present century, en-
closed frogs in vessels imperyious to
air. and the creature, speedily per-
ished. Three frogs were once en-
closed in close box for eigh-
teen months. at the end Of which
time one was dead and the remainder
in diving condition. DR.. Mccartney
buried toad in a vessel covered with
a slate about foot deep in the ground.
At the end of a fortnight it seemed
well and as plump as before. When,
however. he inclosed the same toad in
an air-tight vessel and buried il. it soon
died, and at the end Of week was
much decayed. DR.. Buckland made
some experiments which are claimed a.
conclusive. He placed twelve tolls
separately in twelve holes cut in blocks
Of hard, ilinty sandstone. They
were firmly sealed in. The i'm
pIisoned animals We're buried three feet
deep on November %, 1925. At the
same time four toads were deposited
in holes cut in the heart Of al apple
tree and the opening securely plugged.
Four others were also placed in plaster
of Paris. covered with luting. On De-
cember 10. 1896. all the buried toai,
were examined. All in the hard stone
and in the tree and two in the plaster
Of Paris we're dead. The remainder
were dying, but some placed in softer
stone we're in tolerably good health,
and some were actually fatter than
when placed in the holes. From this
it would appear that in positions where
water can penetrate frogs may live and
even thrive, although buried at a con-
siderable depth, entirely away from the
light and any visible means Of subsist-
| euCe.