How do the _fore and hind legs_ differ? How many toes on the fore foot
or hand? On the hind foot? On which foot is one of the toes rudimentary?
Why is the fore limb of no assistance in propelling the body in jumping?
Do the toes turn in or out? (Fig. 250.) How does the frog give direction
to the jump? What would be the disadvantage of always jumping straight
forward when fleeing? Which legs are more useful in alighting?
=Divisions of the Limbs=.—Distinguish the upper arm, forearm, and hand
in the fore limb (Figs. 252 and 253). _Compare with skeleton of man_
(Fig. 399). Do the arms of a man and a frog both have one bone in the
_upper arm_ and two in the _forearm_? Both have several closely joined
bones in the _wrist_ and five separate bones in the _palm_. Do any of
the frog’s fingers have three joints? _Compare also the leg of man_ and
the hind leg of the frog (Figs. 253 and 399). Does the _thigh_ have one
bone in each? The shank of man has two bones, shin and splint bone. Do
you see a groove near the end in the shank bone of a frog (Fig. 252),
indicating that it was formed by the union of a shin and a splint bone?
The first two of the five bones of the ankle are elongated, giving the
hind leg the appearance of having an extra joint (Fig. 253). The foot
consists of six digits, one of which, like the thumb on the fore limb,
is rudimentary. The five developed toes give the five digits of the
typical vertebrate foot. Besides the five bones corresponding to the
instep, the toes have two, three, or four bones each. How is the hind
foot specialized for swimming? Which joint of the leg contains most
muscle? (Fig. 254.) Find other bones of the frog analogous in position
and similar in form to bones in the human skeleton.
[Illustration:
FIG. 253.—SKELETON OF FROG.
]
[Illustration:
FIG. 254.—LEG MUSCLES OF FROG.
]
Is the =skin= of a frog tight or loose? Does it have any appendages
corresponding to scales, feathers, or hair of other vertebrates? Is the
skin rough or smooth? The toad is furnished with glands in the skin
which are sometimes swollen; they form a bitter secretion, and may be,
to some extent, a protection. Yet birds and snakes do not hesitate to
swallow toads whole. Show how both upper and under surfaces of frog
illustrate protective colouration.
[Illustration:
FIG. 255.—DIGESTIVE CANAL OF FROG.
_Mh_, mouth; _Z_, tongue pulled outward; _S_, opening to larynx; _Oe_,
gullet; _M_, stomach; _D_, intestine; _P_, pancreas; _L_, liver;
_G_, gall bladder; _R_, rectum; _Hb_, bladder; _Cl_, cloaca; _A_,
vent.
]
All batrachians have large and _numerous blood vessels in the skin_ by
which gases are exchanged with the air, the skin being almost equal to
_a third lung_. That the skin may function in this way, it must not
become dry. Using this fact, account for certain habits of toads as well
as frogs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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