Rana, " Sixthly, Instets being their food, I never saw any manner of their produ&tion. The eggs, when formed (Rane. toad Now any liking or disike to any plant (D). in the ovary, are sent, by some internal canals, which “ Seventhly, I hardly remember any persons taking anatomiits have not hitherto described, to lie and come it up eocept my father and myself; I do not know to maturity under the bony substance of the back : in whether it had any particular attachment to us. this state they are impregnated by the male, whose seed Eighihly, In respect to its end, I answer this last finds its way by pores very singularly contrived, and query. Had it not been for a tame raven, I make no pierces not only the skin but the periosteum : the skin, doubt but it would have been now living ; who one day however, is itill apparently entire, and forms a very fering it at the month of its hole, pulled it out, and al- thick covering over the whole brood; but as they ada though i rescued it, pulled out one eye, and hurt it so, vance to maturity, at different intervals, one after anzthat notwithitanding its living a twelvemonth it never other, the egg seems to Itart forward, and burgeons enjoyed itself, and had a difficulty of taking its food, from the back, becomes more yellow, and at lalt breaks; misting the inark for want of its eye: before that acci- when the young one puts forth its head: it still, howdent it had all the appearance of perfect health.” ever, keeps its situation until it has acquired a proper 6. The rubeta, or natter-jack, frequents dry and fan- degree of strength, and then it leaves the thell, but itill dy places : it is found on Putney common, and also continues to keep upon the back of the parent. In near Revesby abbey, Lincoln hire. It never leaps, nei. this manner the pipal is seen travelling with her wosther does it crawi with the flow pace of a toad, but its derous family on her back, in all the different stages of motion is liker to running. Several are found common- maturity. Some of the strange progeny, not yet come ly together, and like others of the genus they appear to fufficient perfection, appear quite torpid, and as yet in the evenings. The upper part of the body is of a without life in the egg : others seem jult beginning to dirty yellow, clouded with brown, and covered with po- rise through the ikin; here peeping forth from the rous pimples of unequal fizes : on the back is a yellow thell, and there having entirely forsaken their prison : line. The upper fide of the body is of a paler hue, some are sporting at large upon the parent's back, and marked with black spots, which are rather rough. On others descending to the ground to try their own fortune the fore-feet are four divided toes ; on the hind five, a below. The male pipal is every way larger than the felittle webbed. The length of the body is two inches male, and has the ikin less tightly drawn round the boand a quarter ; the breadth, one and a quarter: the 'dy. The whole body is covered with puftules, resemlength of the fore-legs, one inch one-fixth ; of the hind bling pearls; and the belly, which is of a bright yel. legs, two inches. We are indebted to Sir Joseph Banks, low, seems as if it were fewed up from the throat to for this account. the vent, a seam being seen to run in that direction, 7. The pipal, or Surinam toad, is more ugly than This animal, like the rest of the frog kind, is moft proeven the common one. The body is flat and broad; bably harmless. the head fmall; the jaws, like those of a mole, are ex- 8. The water frog of Catesby has large black eyes, tended, and evidently formed for rooting in the ground: yellow irides, and long limbs : the upper part of the the skin of the neck forms a sort of wrinkled collar: head and body is of a duky green, spotted with black ; the colour of the head is of a dark chesnut, and the and from each eye to the nose is a white line ; and also eyes are small : the back, which very broad, is of a a yellow line along the tides to the rump. They fre- . of the tallest trees, and adhere firmly, by means of the This is their situation previous to their coming forth; membranes at the ends of their toes, iticking to the but nothing so much demands our admiration as the smootheft furface : a looking-glass was held before one, at a a a threw on the curious impertinent a fixed look that marked his disquietness and fear; but he foon returned to (D) This question arose from an assertion of Linnæus, that the toad delighted in filthy herbs. Dele&atur cotula, adaa, jlachyde fætide. The unhappy deformity of the animal seems to be the only ground of this as well as another misrepresentation, of its conveying a poison with its pimples, its touch, and even its breath. Verrum cæ ladejcetites veneralæ infufe tačiu, anhelitu. [ RAN Rana. tented myself with opening its mouth, and flightly infpecting it. "You may imagine, that a toad, generally detefted, (although one of the most inoffenfive of all animals), fo much taken notice of and befriended, excited the curiofity of all comers to the house, who all defired to fee it fed; fo that even ladies fo far conquered the horrors inftilled into them by nurses, as to defire to fee it. This produced innumerable and improbable reports, making it as large as the crown of a hat, &c. &c." The following are answers from the fame gentleman to fome queries proposed by Mr Pennant. "First, I cannot fay how long my father had been acquainted with the toad before I knew it; but when I firft was acquainted with it, he used to mention it as the old toad I've known fo many years; I can answer for 36 years. Secondly, No toads that I ever faw appeared in the winter feafon. The old toad made its appearance as foon as the warm weather came, and I always concluded it retired to fome dry bank to repofe till the fpring. When we new-lay'd the fteps, I had two holes third ftep, with a hollow of more than a made in every yard long for it, in which I imagine it flept, as it came from thence at its first appearance. Thirdly, It was feldom provoked: neither that toad, nor the multitudes I have feen tormented with great cruelty, ever showed the leaft defire of revenge, by Spitting or emitting any juice from their pimples. Sometimes, upon taking it up, it would let out a great quantity of clear water, which, as I have often feen it do the fame upon the fteps when quite quiet, was certainly its urine, and no more than a natural evacuation. Fourthly, A toad has no particular enmity for the fpider; he used to eat five or fix with his millepedes (which I take to be its chief food) that I generally provided for it before I found out that flesh maggots, by their continual motion, was the moft tempting bait; 66 3 J A 2 Sixthly, (B) Mr John Hunter has affured me, that during his refidence at Belleifle, he diffected fome hundreds of toads, yet never met with a fingle female among them. (c) I was incredulous as to the obfletrical offices of the male toad; but fince the end is fo well accounted for, and the fact established by such good authority, belief muft take place. Mr Demours, in the Memoirs of the French Academy, as tranflated by Dr Templeman, vol. i. p. 371, has been very particular in respect to the male toad as acting the part of an accoucheur: His account is curious, and claims a place here. "In the evening of one of the long days in fummer, Mr Demours, being in the king's garden, perceived two toads coupled together at the edge of an hole, which was formed in part by a great ftone at the top. "Curiofity drew him to fee what was the occafion of the motions he obferved, when two facts equally new furprifed him. The firfl was the extreme difficulty the female had in laying her eggs, infomuch that fhe did not feem capable of being delivered of them without fome affiftance. The fecond was, that the male was mounted on the back of the female, and exerted all his ftrength with his hinder feet in pulling out the eggs, whilft his forefeet embraced her breast. "In order to apprehend the manner of his working in the delivery of the female, the reader must observe, that the paws of these animals, as well thofe of the fore-feet as of the hinder, are divided into feveral toes, which can perform the office of fingers. "It must be remarked likewife, that the eggs of this fpecies of toads are included each in a membranous coat paw that that is very firm, in which is contained the embryo; and that these eggs, which are oblong and about two lines It is by drawing this cord with his in length, being faftened one to another by a fhort but very ftrong cord, form a kind of chaplet, the beads of which are diftant from each other about the half of their length. the male performs the function of a midwife, and acquits himself in it with a dexterity that one would not expect from fo lumpish an animal. "The prefence of the obferver did not a little difcompofe the male: for fome time he ftopped fhort, and threw manner of their production. The eggs, when formed Rana. in the ovary, are fent, by fome internal canals, which anatomifts have not hitherto defcribed, to lie and come to maturity under the bony fubftance of the back: in this ftate they are impregnated by the male, whofe feed finds its way by pores very fingularly contrived, and pierces not only the skin but the periosteum: the skin, however, is ftill apparently entire, and forms a very thick covering over the whole brood; but as they advance to maturity, at different intervals, one after an other, the egg feems to ftart forward, and burgeons from the back, becomes more yellow, and at laft breaks; when the young one puts forth its head: it ftill, however, keeps its fituation until it has acquired a proper degree of ftrength, and then it leaves the fhell, but ftill continues to keep upon the back of the parent. In this manner the pipal is feen travelling with her wonderous family on her back, in all the different stages of maturity. Some of the ftrange progeny, not yet come to fufficient perfection, appear quite torpid, and as yet without life in the egg: others feem juft beginning to rife through the fkin; here peeping forth from the fhell, and there having entirely forfaken their prison ; fome are fporting at large upon the parent's back, and others defcending to the ground to try their own fortune below. The male pipal is every way larger than the female, and has the skin lefs tightly drawn round the bo'dy. The whole body is covered with puftules, resembling pearls; and the belly, which is of a bright yellow, feems as if it were fewed up from the throat to the vent, a feam being feen to run in that direction, This animal, like the rest of the frog kind, is most probably harmless. 8. The water frog of Catefby has large black eyes, yellow irides, and long limbs: the upper part of the head and body is of a dusky green, fpotted with black; and from each eye to the nofe is a white line; and alfo a yellow line along the fides to the rump. They frequent rivulets and ditches, which they do not quit for the dry land. It is faid they will fpring five or fix yards at a leap. 9. The rana arborea, or green tree frog of Catesby, is of a fiender shape and bright green colour, marked on each fide with a line of yellow; the eyes are black; the irides yellow; they have four toes before and five behind; at the end of each toe there is a round membrane, concave beneath, and not unlike the mouth of a leech. They lurk under the lower fides of leaves, even of the tallest trees, and adhere firmly, by means of the membranes at the ends of their toes, ticking to the fmootheft furface: a looking-glafs was held before one, at Rana. "Sixthly, Infects being their food, I never faw any Eighthly, In respect to its end, I anfwer this laft 6. The rabeta, or natter-jack, frequents dry and fandy places it is found on Putney common, and alfo near Revesby abbey, Lincolnshire. It never leaps, nei. ther does it crawl with the flow pace of a toad, but its motion is liker to running. Several are found commonly together, and like others of the genus they appear in the evenings. The upper part of the body is of a dirty yellow, clouded with brown, and covered with porous pimples of unequal fizes: on the back is a yellow line. The upper fide of the body is of a paler hue, marked with black spots, which are rather rough. On the fore-feet are four divided toes; on the hind five, a little webbed. The length of the body is two inches and a quarter; the breadth, one and a quarter: the length of the fore-legs, one inch one-fixth; of the hind legs, two inches. We are indebted to Sir Joseph Banks, for this account. 7. The pipal, or Surinam toad, is more ugly than even the common one. The body is flat and broad; the head fmall; the jaws, like thofe of a mole, are extended, and evidently formed for rooting in the ground: the fkin of the neck forms a fort of wrinkled collar: the colour of the head is of a dark chefnut, and the eyes are small: the back, which is very broad, is of a lightish grey, and feems covered over with a number of fmall eyes, which are round, and placed at nearly equal diftances. Thefe eyes are very different from what they feem they are the animal's eggs, covered with their fhells, and placed there for hatching. These eggs are buried deep in the skin, and in the beginning of incuba. tion but just appear; and are very vifible when the young animal is about to burft from its confinement. They are of a reddifh, fhining yellow colour; and the fpaces between thein are full of small warts, resembling pearls. This is their fituation previous to their coming forth; but nothing fo much demands our admiration as the threw on the curious impertinent a fixed look that marked his difquietnefs and fear; but he foon returned to his work with more precipitation than before, and a moment after he appeared undetermined whether he should continue it or not. The female likewife discovered her uneasiness at the fight of the ftranger, by motions that interrupted fometimes the male in his operation. At length, whether the filence and steady pofture of the fpectator had diffipated their fear, or that the cafe was urgent, the male refumed his work with the fame vigour, and fuccefsfully performed his function." (D) This queftion arose from an assertion of Linnæus, that the toad delighted in filthy herbs. Dele&atur cotula, adea, flachyde fatide. The unhappy deformity of the animal feems to be the only ground of this as well as another mifreprefentation, of its conveying a poifon with its pimples, its touch, and even its breath. Verru ca lucefcentes venenate infufe taču, anhelitu. Randolph. RAN RAN [ 5 ] 2. Amyntas, or the Impoffible Ranso Ramai at four yards diftance; it reached it at one leap, and ing-glafs, a comedy, ftuck clolely to it. At night thefe frogs make an in- Dowry, a paftoral, acted before the king and queen. Rauk. ceffant chirping, and leap from fpray to fpray in fearch 3. Ariftippus, or the Jovial Philofopher. 4. The Conof infects. This fpecics is common to America and ceited Pedlar. 5. The Jealous Lovers, a comedy. 6. Hey for Honefty, down with Knavery, a comedy; and the warmer parts of Europe. feveral poems. 10. The land frog of Catefby has much the appearance of a toad: above it is grey or brown, fpotted with dulky; below white, faintly spotted; the irides are red; and the legs fhort. They frequent the high-lands, and are feen moft frequently in wet weather and in the hottest time of the day: they leap, feed on infects, partiSometimes the Americans cularly the fire-fly and ant. bake and reduce this fpecies to powder, which, mixed with orrice root, is taken as a cure for a tympany. : 11. The cinereous frog has a gibbous, cinereous, and fmooth back; the belly is yellow and granulated on each fide, from the nofe to the rump, there a white line; and there is the fame on the outfide of the thighs They and legs; the toes are bullated at their ends. inhabit Carolina. in RANDOM SHOT, gunnery, is a fhot made when the muzzle of a gun is raised above the horizontal line, and is not defigned to fhoot directly or point-blank. The utmost random of any piece is about ten times as far as the bullet will go point-blank. The bullet. will go fartheft when the piece is mounted to about 45° above the level range. See GUNNERY and PRO JECTILES. RANGE, in gunnery, the path of a bullet, or the line it defcribes from the mouth of the piece to the point where it lodges. If the piece lie in a line parallel to the horizon, it is called the right or level range if it be mounted to 45°, it is faid to have the utmoft range; all others between 00 and 45° are called the intermediate ranges. RANAI, one of the Sandwich iflands discovered by Captain Cooke, is about nine miles diftant from MoWEE and MOROTOI, and is fituated to the fouth-weft of the paffage between thofe two ifles. The country towards the fouth is elevated and craggy; but the other parts of the island had a better appearance, and feemed to be well inhabited. It abounds in roots, fuch as fweet potatoes, taro, and yams; but produces very few planThe fouth point of Ranai tains and bread-fruit trees. is in the latitude of 20° 46′ north, and in the longitude of 203° 8 east. RANCID, denotes a fatty fubftance that is become rank or mufty, or that has contracted an ill fmell by being kept close. RANDIA, in botany: A genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the pentandria clafs of plants; and in the natural method ranking with thofe of which the order is doubtful. The calyx is monophyllous; the corolla falver-shaped; the berry unilocular, with a capfular rind. There are two fpecies, viz. the mitis and aculeata. RANDOLPH (Thomas), an eminent English poet in the 17th century, was born in Northamptonshire 1605. He was educated at Westminster and Cambridge, and very early distinguished for his excellent genius; for at about nine or ten years of age he wrote the Hiftory of the Incarnation of our Saviour in verfe. His fubfequent writings established his character, and gained him the efteem and friendship of fome of the greatest men of that age, particularly of Ben Johnson, who adopted him one of his fons in the mufes. He died in 1634, and was honourably interred. He wrote, 1. The Mufes Look RANGER, a fworn officer of a foreft, appointed by the king's letters patent; whofe bufinefs is to walk through his charge, to drive back the deer out of the rifdiction at the next foreft-court. purlieus, &c. and to present all trefpaffes within his ju RANK, the order or place affigned a perfon fuitable to his quality or merit. RANK, is a straight line made by the foldiers of a battalion or fquadron, drawn up fide by fide: this or der was established for the marches, and for regulating and the different bodies of troops and officers which comRANK and Precedence, in the army pofe an army. follow: navy, are as Engineers RANK. Chief, as colonel; director, as lieutenant-colonel; fub-director, as major; engineer in ordinary, as captain; engineer extraordinary, as captainlieutenant; fub-engineer, as lieutenant; practitioner-engineer, as enfign. Navy RANK. Admiral, or commander in chief of his majelty's fleet, has the rank of a field-marshal; admirals, with their flags on the main-top maft-head, rank. with generals of horfe and foot; vice-admirals, with lieutenant-generals; rear-admirals, as major-generals ; commodores, with broad pendants, as brigadier-generals; captains of poft-fhips, after three years from the date of their first commiffion, as colonels; other captains, as commanding poft-fhips, as lieutenant-colonels; captains, not taking polt, as majors; lieutenants, as captains. RANK Rank Ranuncu lus. GOVERNORS. Lieutenant-governors and prefidents Governors of charter colonies Deputy-governors Eftablished by the king, 1760 Ranuncu RANK between the Army, Navy, and Governors. lus. ARMY. NAVY. General in chief Admiral in chief Commander in chief of the forces in America Admiral with a flag at Generals of horse the main-top-mast Captain-general of provinces Vice-admirals Lieutenant-generals of provinces Rear-admirals Lieutenant-generals Major-generals Colonels Lieutenant-colonels Majors Poft-captains of 3 years Lieutenant-governors not commanding Poft-captains Captains Doubling of the RANKS, is the placing two ranks in prepare beds four feet wide and two deep: however, in default of fuch compoft, use beds of any good light earth of your garden; or, if neceflary, it may be made light and rich with a portion of drift-fand and rotten RANSOM, a fum of money paid for the redemp. dung, 'cow-dung is most commonly recommended; but tion of a flave, or the liberty of a prifoner of war. In they will alfo thrive in beds of well-wrought kitchenour law-books, ranfom is also used for a fum paid for garden earth, and they often profper well in the comthe pardon of fome great offence, and to obtain the of mon flower-borders. fender's liberty. RANULA, a tumor under a child's tongue, which, like a ligature, hinders it from fpeaking or fucking. RANUNCULUS, CROWFOOT: A genus of the Species. There are near 40 different fpecies of this Culture. The Afiatic fpecies in all its varieties will The feafon for planting the roots is both in autumn and fpring; the autumn plantings generally flower ftrongest and fooneft by a month at leaft, and are fucceeded by the fpring-planting in May and June. Perform the autumnal planting in October and carly part of November, but fome plant towards the latter end of September in order to have a very early bloom; but thofe planted in that month and beginning of October often come up with rank leaves foon after, in winter, fo as to require protection in hard frofts; thofe, however, planted about the middle or latter end of October, and beginning of November, rarely fhoot up ftrong till towards fpring, and will not require fo much care of covering during winter; and the spring-planting may be performed the end of January or beginning of February, or as foon as the weather is fettled; they will not require any trouble of covering, and will fucceed the autumnal plants regularly in bloom, and will flower in good perfection. Thus by two or three different plantings you may obtain a fucceffion of thefe beautiful flowers in conftant bloom from April till the middle of June; but the autumnal plants, for the general part, not only flower ftrongeft, but the roots increase more in fize, and furnish the best off-fets for propagation it is, however, proper to plant both in fpring and autumn. Prepare for the choicer forts four-feet beds of light earth, and rake the surface smooth: then plant the roots in rows lengthwite the beds, either by drilling them in two inches deep, and fix inches diflance in the row, and the rows fix or eight afunder; or you may plant them by bedding-in, or by dibble planting, the fame depth and distance. Those defigned for the borders should be planted ge nerally |