Hi Jim,

These are the eggs of the common frog, Rana temporaria. This is not at all typical of either an egg laying site nor a quantity of spawn from one female. We see these types of egg deposits when something has gone drastically wrong, and in this case I would suggest an incidence of predation (as most cases are). Occasionally the ova are found in a highly concentrated (black) mass without the protective jelly if the victim has been disemboweled, sometimes accompanied by white blobs of opaque white jelly usually in the near vicinity, which are the remains of the oviducts where the gelatinous compound is formed (and "bloomed" after disruption and exposure to moisture). This is often referred to as "star jelly".

In this case, however, I believe these are spontaneous egg releases caused by trauma in a live individual, as the eggs have clearly passed through the oviduct and become encased with jelly as they would be if laid normally. The quantity is small though, suggesting multiple, sporadic and involuntary releases. It is possible that the victim was the subject of a "play" episode prior to a predation attempt, or we hope, as escape (since there are no other body parts strewn around). Possibly of course, it may have been completely consumed or carried away elsewhere. The site (on steps) is also typical of a mammalian choice of area for such activities (as a bird of prey might select a favourite perch). And finally, the habitat (seemingly a human dwelling) is very likely to be prowled by cats, and not surprisingly, the likely suspect appears in one of the photos.

Hope this helps to solve the mystery,

Trevor Rose

Secretary
British Herpetological Society