The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-11-09


The reason for the capture OF the sol
emn-voiced croakers is that their hind
legs, or saddles as they are called,
are particularly delicious 10 eat Frogs
legs are found on The bin OF fare i'm ev-
cry frst-class restaurant, ana they
would tempt the appetite or the most
confirmed anchorite. Broiled frog sad
dles are much more delicate ana tooth
some than the most carefully seecttd
spring chicken
Frogs are found in the marshes ana
lakes and i'm ponds and wet, Doggy
meadows. says the Chicago Record.
Some lines they are caught on hook
by fishing for them with piece OF red
flannel " hich seems 20 excite their
wrath when q is waved before their
noses The adage regarding "a red rag
10 "A bull" seems 20 hold good in the
case of a bullfT1g But the TWO most
common ways by which the hunters
take the frogs for the market are by
spearing ana shooting. Spearing frogs
is an art and Is practiced In the marsh
es and around The shallow shores OF
tho lakes. where frogs are plentiful.
The hunter must necessarily ne lignt-
weight man. or a boy, considering the
craft he EMPLOYS IN the business. Th!s
is "A canoe or the smallest or lightest
ends and able 10 run smoothly in
few inches OF water. \ dOuble-bladed
paddle is dipped into the water, from
side to side. and the little boat glides
over The sUTTaCT as smoothly as Wa
ter bug.
The hunter sits in the center of the
boat and conducts operations from the
right side. He has a small box in 'front.'
of him and "A short. shap-bladed knife
lying on the box. This knife is used
20 cut off the saddles as the frogs are
brought into the boat. The spear used
BY the hunter Is very light and with
shaft fully eighteen feet long. AT one
end Of the shaft Is fixed the spear
which has three small barbs. each with
an arrow shaped head. which prevents
the frog from slipping Off when trans
fixed. The shaft or pole OF the spear
Is usually of nin2--snme- times of cane,
and Is absolutely straight and symmet-
rcal IL is balanced with the fingers
and thumb Il the right hand. The
spear slides along. the balance guides OF
the left hand and can be drawn back
readily by that hand after the throw
is made. The boat IS sent noiselessly
along the shallow stretches of water by
light dips of the paddle and as the hun
ter nears where the frog is floating In
the water he stops the BOAT with turn
of the paddle. The spear Is then raised,
adjusted ana literally slghteu AT the
frog.
The stupid quarry is meanwhile look
ing "all eyes" at the hunter. Nothing
but the top OF his head is floating there.
The spear Is darted toward and under
the frog with a "whsn" as 1t slides
along the fingers and thumb of the left
hand II strikes the water with "a sound
of chuck transhXing the frogs body
and is then brought back quickly by
the left and right hands until the frog
is lust over the box in the boat. a
swift stroke Of the knife. and the sad
die" is severed and is i'm the box. The
hunter may have seen two or three
frogs quite close together. and If he is
an adept with the spear he VIII harvest
them all one after another. without |
their taking alarm. The best Of tools |
and the lightest Of boats are required |
and the hunter must have wears of ex- |
perience 90 be able TO handle the long. |
light spear with accuracy and COM /
paratve silence. Splashing will spoil |
everything, Frogs are not speared ex- /
Ceptine while they are I'm the water. |
and a skilled hunter can pick 10 five or /
six dozen frogs In "A day easily when /
they are at all numerous.