By Dan Beard
Figs. 246-248.
The Beginning and End of a Kick.
The Frog is a good swimming teacher, but he has the advantage of us in possessing a pointed head, with bulging eyes on top, so that it is not necessary for him to throw his head back to see. And, as for breathing, one breath every ten minutes answers his purpose. The frog does not use his arms in swimming, as is commonly supposed; he holds them close to to his sides and swims by kicking his long legs and disproportionately long feet. If you watch a frog swimming you will see that he draws his knees up on each side of him, as shown in Fig. 246, and then Pushes them back as if he were pushing something away from him (Fig. 247). And, indeed, that is just what he is doing, for he is pushing the water back. At the end of the stroke his legs are straight and close together, his toes pointed down and heels up (Fig. 248). In this position he shoots a long distance through the water before he again draws up his legs for another stroke.
