Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-12-30
10GS AND THEIR USES.
|I3e lEApiNo CHARACTERISTIC or
ALL SPECIES IS voRAciTY.

d 1noasn Varieties Common to This
t4ntzy and Europe-Preparation Of
- Hind Quarters for Focd-IIow Frogs
y lzse Caught.
11must every ono Is familiar with the ap-
ioncc OF the frog, as tho frog family is dis
lted over every part Of the globe. In
tfca there are about dozen varieties, but
tRo Of these are used for food. The frog
20 tn water the greater part Of the time,
q IS often found on the land q long dis
<co from any water. The noise or croak-
- that they make, usually heard at night,
Ic1l known, and has often proved Of great
oyanco to persons Of delicate nerves, keep
hem awake for hours, and frequently
e6nting sleep at all. The bull frog, whose
u resembles In a diminutive degree the
I0wing Of bull. is probably the greatest
oyar,ce. and obtained its name from the
1I1ar cry it makes They are very tena-
td life, even as much so as tho cat,
H. b said to have nine lives; they may be
I'D and nnangled until life Is supposed to
&xEinct, and yet survive the wounds In
frogs are frequently found minus leg
4xIL swimming about as well as when
" forms were perfect. They will even
1w tgns OF life after their entrails and
~ have been removed, and advantage has
- taken Of this fact by scientific men for
rnrpose Of experiment, and to illustrate
important phenomena.
~ characteristic Of all species of the frog
ncity: they eat flies, insects, worms and
smaller frogs; but, singular to relate,
- not touch these unless they arc alive
- motion. Prof Doremus used to re-
0n nneclote about some frogs he was
~ u box for experimental purposes,
lows their voracious propensities
wpfe abont dozen of the frogs, and
- the number were two unusually large
kZe had kept them for several weeks,
~ attendants had neglected to feed them
number of days, and upon going to the
- Be was astonished to find only one frog
stich was dead and greatly swollen.
~ closer inspection he found that the two
- frogs had eaten all the smaller ones,
when they could obtain no more food the
~ OF these two had swallowed the
1lcr, but had died in the effort.
~ the dozen or more varieties common to
country and Europe, only two or three
<nosidered as edible and used as food by
The celebrated edible frog, or green
Of Europe, which the naturalists call
oeculenta, is the greatest favorite and
z1c8 sought after in the European coun-
~ In the United States the species called
11pgs, or shad-frogs are about the only
- that are used for culinary purposes.
European edible frog Is of bright green
- above, with black spots, three yellow
- along the back, and of yellowish
NJ underneath. Our bull frog is familiar
olnpst everybody, and somewhat resem-
14sn rr,.y,y11of Et,vo,taax, f,,osy
- general rule the hind quarters of the
~ are eaten, but in Germany every part,
~ tho exception of the intestincs and skin,
1eade use Of as food. Many persons will
IS ct frogs, believing that they ara unclean,
- they have no hesitation in partaling Of
rlu or Holsters, that feed upon the refuse
nal matter which they find in the water.
r. hesh Of tho frog is very white and ten
-, nutritious and delicately favored, and
eu nicely cooked, Is one of the most dainty
In that the gustatory sense OF an epicure
MID desire, SURPRISING in delicacy any of
1esh or fowl. They are cooked in vari-
~ Ways, in all of which their extreme deli
1cy is apparent. They can be made into a
Dfh, fried, stewed or fricaseed, as the eater
ny desire, but most people who eat them
1feker to have them fried. The manner In
Vhich they are fried in the prominent restau-
|znts is very simple. The legs, after being well
kinned, are parboiled for about five minutes
= slightly salted water; they are then plunged
|Eto cold water for few moments, and are
4ken out TO drain, after which they are
iIacsd in hot pan and fried in the usual
xuy Tho broth can be made in the same way
u chicken or beef broth.
In many of the large European cities it IS
j common thing to see the woman fishmonger
With barrel or tub on each side of her, one
D0ntaining live frogs and the other to hold
~ portions that are unfit to be eaten. When
j purchaser buys the frogs, the fishmonger
blunges her hand in the barrel holding the
|Eogy, pulls out frog by its hind legs, places
s on the edge of the other barrel, and with
) dexterous stroke of the knife sewers the
aind legs from the rest of the body, which
&1ls into the barrel. The legs are then
kfnned carefully, and are then ready for
,Doking. The operation is repeated until the
E1ler ia filed.
The season for frogs extends from March
mfil November They are in the best condition
b table use in the fall, just before going
ITO winter quarters, although more arc
'nten in the spring and early part of the
simmer, because they can be caught much
,uzier at this season Of the year. They are
Au2ht IL various ways, by means of nets,
,ooks and the like, and sometimes by beating
'ten with long poles as they sit on the banks
4 the streams and ponds The extreme vo-
'acity of the frog Is easily taken advantage
i, os it will leap after and sieze almost any
hing that floats on the waters near the banks
lnving the appearance of life and motion
hook and line, baited with an insect or
,ovefed with piece of red flannel, serves as
good tempter to the frog, who will gener-
Illy seize it without hesitation or difficulty
After being caught they are preserved in
nrge frog ponds, or "froggerics," as they are
allied, until tfsey are required for the mar
ut The proprietors of these "froggeries"
end the frogs to market at regular intervals,
md they are kept alive until the customers
,urchase them. The principal places where
hey are sold in quantities are the New York
md Boston markets, where they can be OBJ
aimed from number of fish dealers. Tho
rices range from fifty cents to So per dozen,
to the size, appearance and quality,
nit when they reach the restaurants their
value becomes greater, depending upon the
purses and appetites of the customers
Boston Budget.
Reporting IL Big Fire.
i Mr.. Dana, of The New York Sun, declares
hat the most difficult subject for newspaper
'epoIter to handle well is a big fire. 1t has,
he says, SO many varied and varying aspects;