Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-07-18
THE BATRACHIA.
Points About the Clammy Must.
clans Of the Marshes.
They Have Played an Important Part in
the Developments OF Physiological
Science-Their Many Pecuiiari-
ties-various Species.

1t is true that the frog is a common
and rather despised animal. At a
casual acquaintance there is nothing
attractive about him. either in appear
lance or behavior.
But while the frog at first acquaint-
7ance seems in nowiSe a noteworthy
animal, it is still true that no living
creature of the fields and streams is
IN as many ways SO interesting. 1t is
a classic animal in the field of expert
mental physiology. 1t was in the web
Of the frogs foot that that fact of
fundamental interest in the medical
treatment of disease-the circulation
of the blood-was first definitely OBJ
served. And it was the accidental OBJ
seivation of Calvin. made in 1890.
that pair of frogs legs. suspended
on a copper hook and in contact with
a plate of iron below. were
thrown into violent contractions. that
led TO the discovery of Galyanic (now
chemicaD electricity. Endless exper-
Iments have been made upon the It's
sizes and organs of the frog. all throw
ing light upon the physiological action
of the corresponding parts in the hui
man body. For example. the muscles
of Il frogs leg may be SO d.ssected as
10 expose the nerve connected with
them; if the nerve be then stimulated
bv a current of electricity or even by
pinching, the muscles will contract
In this way much has been learned
about the physiology of these tissues.
The reason why the frog is especially
available for the purposes of physio-
logical experiments is that its tissues
are exceedingly tenacious of life.
Under suitable conditions the muscle
and nerve preparations just referred
TO will respond to stimulation several
hours after the life OF the animal has
been taken. The remarkable power
of retaining vitality is still better seen
in the action of the heart. since this
organ will go on beating for two days
after life has ceased in the animal.
This same tenacity Of life is true of
some other reptilian and other low
animals, as birds and mammals.
The frog. then. having so well estab-
Iished claim on our interest, is de-
serving of some notice in respect to
its specific characters as an animal
The place which it occupies in the
scale OF animal life is intermediate be-
tween that of the fishes and the rep
tiles This is indicated very clearly in
The history of its individual devel-
opment 1t is well known that in
what may be called the period of
youth in the frog the form OF the body
and the manner of life are quite differ
cut from the same in the full-grown
animal Now in the early part of this
tadpole period the creature has all OF
the essential characteristics of a fish.
Its body is elongated and terminates in
broad fat tail There are no legs and
1t breathes by means Of gills. At this
time. too. it lives on plant food. crop
ping the leaves of water plants by
means of horny plates with which
Its jaws are provided. But when
the tadpole stage is passed and
the frog nature fully acquired,
the animal then possesses all the
distinctive characteristics of . reptile.
It has two pairs Of limbs. q scaleles:
skin. and breathes by means Of lungs
OF these changes the most striking i,
that from water-breather (air dis
solved in water) to an airlbreather
It Is for this reason that the frog. to
gether with other animals possessing
the same peculiarly. is placed in tn,
geological class Amphibia. the wort
meanipg double-life Some natural
lists, however. prefer the name b
frachia. the original meaning of thi
word being frog.
The length of time required for tn
development Of the frog appears &