The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-05-11
AMERICAN FROG EATERS.
They Consume Twice the Quantity That
French Epicures Absorb.

HItIGItIOCNiN lt0N In Itkos
French Epicures Absorb.
France has long been regarded as
the "nation of frog eaters, but it is
an established fact that the United
States of America now consumes
just twice as many frogs as France.
The value of frogs as food is now
thoroughly recognized The meat
is white, delicate and very whole
some and palatable. Although eaten
at all seasons, it is in best condition
in fall and winter; in spring it is of
relatively inferior quality. Only
the hind legs are commonly util-
ized, the meat on the other parts of
the body being edible, but in very
small quantity. In some localities,
however, the entire body, after the
removal of the viscera, is fried with
eggs and bread crumbs. The legs
are usually prepared for the table by
broiling, frying or stewing. The
prejudice that formerly existed
against frogs as an article of food
was probably based on their uncan-
ny appearance and the association
in the minds of the people with
witches, and their disgusting habi-
tat of marshes, pools, etc.
In very complete pamphlet on
the Edible Frogs of the United
States," issued by the fish commits
sion, it is pointed out that the edible
batrachians which are associated
with the families of toads, tree
frogs, nevis, salamanders, ETC., be-
long to 13 species and 6 subspecies
or varieties.
From this same source it is learn
ed that frog hunting is carried on in
all sections of the United States,
and is of economic Importance in Is
states, while in nearly all the re-
naming states and territories frogs
are taken for local or home con-
sumption. The states supplying the
largest quantities for the markets
are California, Missouri. New York,
Arkansas, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio
and Indiana, and of these New York
leads the list.
The special localities where frog
hunting is done are the marshes of
the western end of Lake Erie, the
Lewis and Grand reservoirs, in Ohio;
the marshes of the Sacramento and
San Joaquin rivers. California; the
valley of the Kankakee river, In
diana; Oneida lake, Seneca river and
other waters of northern New York
and the st. Francis river and sunken
lands of the Mississippi river in
Arkansas and Missouri.
The species commonly eaten are
the bullfrog, the green frog, the
spring frog and the western bull
frog. The most widely distributed
is the common frog, known variously
as the spring frog, shad frog or leop-
ard frog. 1t is found from the Allan
tic coast to the Sierra Nevada noun
tains, and from Lake Athabasca, in
Canada, to Guatemala, Central
America. 1t reaches a length of 3%
inches. exclusive of legs.
The green frog is found in the
eastern part of the United States
and Canada. This frog is especially
aquatic in habits, not hunting for
food on land, ard frequenting all
kinds of fresh waters.
The pickerel frog, marsh frog, or
tiger frog, resembles the leopard
frog, butmay be readily distinguish
ed from it by the bright yellow on
the thighs and legs. This particular
frog has disagreeable odor, and it
is but rarely eaten.
The bullfrog is the largest of
North American frogs, reaching a
body length of over eight inches. 1t
has very much the same geographic
al range as the spring frog. The
western bullfrogs are not SO we'll
known, and range from Montana
west to Puget sound, thence south
to California. Philadelphia Record.