Volume 1

Curiosities of natural history. First[-fourth] series / by Francis T. Buckland.

  • Buckland, Francis T. (Francis Trevelyan), 1826-1880.
Date:
1890-1891
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Curiosities of natural history. First[-fourth] series / by Francis T. Buckland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    383/400 (page 351)
    times snapping at fresh parts of the skin as if to obtain a better hold. The frog, though not at all hurt, was evidently much alarmed. It repeatedly shook off the enemy by jumping, and then, by taking a second spring, threw himself out of pursuit for half a minute; for the mouse was so dazzled by the sun that he evidently could not see the frog when but twelve inches distant, and knew nothing of my presence though 1 was but a single pace from them. On these occasions he made casts exactly like a hound until he came upon the poor frog again. The latter kept as much as possible to the water, and twice or thrice buried himself in the little pools ; but the mouse dived with equal ease, and seizing him by the hind foot, jerked till lie had dislodged him from the insufficient stronghold. Probably in twelve indies of water a frog of this size would have baffled the enemy by maintaining his position at the bottom. I witnessed the struggle for about a quarter of an hour, wondering whether old Homer had not seen just such a Batrachomi/omac/iia ages and ages ago. When, being obliged to go away, I revealed myself to the mouse by giving him a flap from a soft glove, and taking up the frog, which by this time was not quite so vigorous as at first, I examined his wounds, but could not discern that the skin had as yet been broken anywhere. He was then thrown into deep water, where he might congratulate himself on rare good fortune. I think it would have taken an hour or two for the mouse thoroughly to exhaust and kill so large a frog as this was, but the fatal result was easy to be foreseen. Frogs of smaller size would be easily overpowered. I have little doubt but that the common bay-coloured shrew will equally attack frogs, especially since it is numerous as a species, and several may join in the struggle. The poor shrews which we find dead upon walks and paths near to houses where cats are kept, have been killed by these animals, which, having taken them among the grass, carry them for their cruel sport to paths and roads where the poor mouse cannot escape by hiding itself. I am, sir, very respectfully yours, Ralph CAKIt.