24 MAY 1913, Page 17

FROGS IN HIGH ALTITUDES.

[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Last month, when crossing a snowfield on the top of one of the Perthshire Hills to the east of Loch Turret, I came on a large frog lying right in the middle of the snow. The snowfield would be some hundreds of yards long and according to any measurement was from five to ten feet deep. The alti- tude was two thousand five hundred feet. There was no mark of injury on the frog, nor was it lying in a position that would suggest that it had been carried there and dropped by a bird. It had evidently, when crossing the wide expanse of snow, been overcome by cold and frozen to death. I wonder if any of your readers can give definite information as to the altitude at which frogs can live or have been found in this country ? This is one of the many interesting phenomena which arrest the attention of those who, like myself, are solitary prowlers on the roof of Scotland. Another is the appearance of earth- worms lying dead on the surface of a summit snowfield after making their way up through many feet of snow. But this I have not personally seen.—I am, Sir, &c.,

T. RATCLIFFE BARNETT.

St. Andrew's Manse, Bo'ness, Linlithgowshire.