Bull-frog

Bull-frog (Rana mugiens), a species of Frog (q.v.) found in most parts of the United States and Canada, but chiefly abundant in the southern states. It is of a large size, 8 to 12 inches long. The colour is olive green or reddish brown, with large brown or black spots, and with a yellow line along the back. The under surface is yellowish. It receives its name from the remarkable loudness of its voice, heard as a hollow bass in the frog concerts which take place in the evening and all night long in marshy places in America. Its voice can be distinctly heard at a distance of forty or fifty yards. It sits for hours during the day, basking in the sun, near the margin of a stream, into which it plunges with a great leap on the least appearance of danger. It does not confine itself to insects and worms like smaller frogs, but eats fish and other frogs, and is said to be partial to young ducks, and to swallow them entire. Audubon says 'its flesh is tender, white, and affords excellent eating,' the hind-legs, however, being the only part used. He adds that these parts make excellent bait for the larger cat-fish, and that he generally used the gun for procuring bull-frogs, loading with very small shot.