FRITH 223 FBOa pire, their country was divided into West Frisian (West Friesland), and East Frisian (East Friesland). The language of the Frisians is intermediate between the Anglo-Saxon and the Old Norse. Our knowledge of the old Fri- sian is derived from certain collections of laws; as the "Asegabuch," composed about 1200; the "Brockmerbrief," in the 13th century; the "CEpnsiger Domen," about 1300, and some others. The mod- ern Frisian is now spoken only in a few districts, and even in these only by the peasantry. FRITH, WILLIAM POWELL, an English painter; bom in Studley, Eng- land, in 1819; became a Royal Academi- cian in 1853; received the decoration of the Legion of Honor in 1878; honorary member of the principal art academies in Europe. His paintings include "Derby Day" (1858) ; "The Railway Station" (1862); and "The Marriage of the Prince of Wales" (1865). He wrote
- Autobiography and Reminiscences"
(1887) and "Further Reminiscences" (1888). He died in 1909. FROBISHER, MARTIN, an English navigator; born in Doncaster, Yorkshire, England, about 1536; was a mariner by profession. In search of a N. W. pas- sage to India and under the patronage of the Earl of Warwick, he set sail with a fleet of three vessels from Deptford in June, 1576. After exploring different parts of the Arctic coast, and entering the strait that bears his name, he re- turned to England, bearing with him some black ore which is said to have been gold. In consequence of this dis- covery he was encouraged to make two more journeys, both of which proved fruitless. In 1558 he accompanied Drake to the West Indies. On board the "Triumph" he took part in the destruc- tion of the Spanish Armada and was knighted for his bravery. In 1594 he served Henry IV. of France against the Leagoiers and Philip II. of Spain, and while attacking a fort near Brest re- ceived a mortal wound. He died in Plym- outh, England, Nov. 7, 1594. FROBISHER STRAIT, a passage be- tween the W. side of Davis Strait and the N. side of Hudson Strait, is 240 miles long, with an average breadth of 20. It is not of any practical value as a channel of communication ; and in fact it has been very seldom visited by ves- sels bound .either W. or E. It was dis- covered in 1576 by Sir Mai-tin Frobisher, an energetic English navigator. FROBEL. FRIEDERICH WILHELM AUGUST, a German educator. Born in 1782 in Thuringia, his boyhood was un- usually sad and his days were spent in morbid introspection. At the age of fifteen he was apprenticed to a forester, after which time he attended for a few months the University of Jena. Unable to center his attention upon any one vo- cation, he spent the early years of man- hood drifting from one thing to another. In 1816, when he was 34 years of age, he founded a school at Griesheim and be- gan the work which was to give him fame. Although his school was closed by the reactionary officials, its influence on education in Germany was considerable. In 1835, with the encouragement of the Swiss officials, he founded an orphanage at Burgdorf, and there he resided until his death in 1852. Frobel was the founder of the Kindergarten and his principles in reference to the methods of instruction for children between the ages of four and twelve are recognized as fundamental in modern educational practice. FROBEL, JULIUS, a German pub- licist; bom in Griesheim, near Stadtilm, July 16, 1805; was active in the popular movements preceding and during 1848. He wrote: "The Republicans," a politi- cal drama; "Theory of Politics" (1861- 1864); "America; Experiences, Studies and Travels" (1857-1858), and "A Sys- tem of Social Politics" (1847). He died in Zurich, Switzerland, Nov. 6, 1893. FROO, in zoology, (1) singular, the English name of the amphibious genus Rana, and particularly of the species Rana temporaria, or common frog. The genus Raim is distinguished from its congeners by having the tongue and tympanum distinct, the skin smooth, and the toes without claws; they are, how- ever, pointed, and the hinder feet are united almost to the tips by a mem- brane. The common frog is too well known to require description. It buries itself in the mud at the approach of winter, reappearing in the spring. In the month of March it lays its eggs, which are enveloped in a gelatinous ma- terial, in water, where they float. Each female deposits from 600 to 1,200 eggs a year. By April they begin to hatch. The immature frogs which come forth are called tadpoles. They have tails, no legs, breath by gills, and are aquatic. Six or eight weeks later the legs are fully developed, the tail is absorbed, and they quit the water. The common frog is found in most parts of this country, in Europe, in the N. parts of Asia, and in the N. of Africa. Rmia escnlenta is the eatable frog, common on the Euro- pean continent. R. pipievs is the bull- frog of North America, and R. clamit-ans the grunting or Argus frog.
