162 TOADS FOUND IN ROCKS. 



stomachs into water. On examining the mass of insects that are found in the stomach, and 

 which are floated apart in the water, there are almost always some specimens of valuable 

 insects, generally beetles, which from their nocturnal habits, small dimensions, and sober col- 

 oring, cannot readily be detected by human eyes. 



The Toad will also eat worms, and in swallowing them it finds its fore-feet of great use. 

 The worm is seized by the middle, and writhes itself frantically into such contortions that the 

 Toad would not be able to swallow it but by the aid of the fore-feet, which it uses as if they 

 were hands. Sitting quietly down with the worm in its mouth, the Toad pushes it further 

 between the jaws, first with one paw and then with another, until it succeeds by alternate 

 gulps and pushes to force the worm fairly down its throat. 



These paws are also useful in aiding it to rid itself of its cuticle, which is shed at intervals, 

 as is the case with many reptiles and Batrachians. The process is so singular, and so admi- 

 rably described by Mr. Bell, that it must be given in his own words : 



' ' I one day observed a large Toad, the skin of which was particularly dry and dull in its 

 color, with a light streak down the mesial line of its back; and on examining further, I discov- 

 ered a corresponding line along its belly. This proved to arise from an entire slit in the old 

 cuticle, which exposed to view the new and brighter skin underneath. Finding, therefore, 

 what was going to happen, I watched the whole detail of this curious process. 



"I soon observed that the two halves of the skin, thus completely divided, continued to 

 recede farther and farther from the centre, and became folded and rugose; and after a short 

 space, by means of the continued twitching of the animal's body, it was brought down in folds 

 on the sides. The hinder leg, first on one side and then on the other, was brought forward 

 under the arm, which was pressed down upon it, and on the hinder limb being withdawn, its 

 cuticle was left inserted under the arm, and that of the anterior extremity was now loosened, 

 and at length drawn off by the assistance of the mouth. The whole cuticle was thus detached, 

 and was now pushed by the two hands into the n .outh in a little ball, and swallowed at a single 

 gulp. I afterwards had repeated opportunities of watching this curious process, which did 

 not materially vary in any instance." 



Though apparently unfit for food, the Toad is eaten by some nations, and certainly is not 

 more unprepossessing than the iguana. The Chinese, however, are in the habit of eating a 

 species of Toad for the purpose of increasing their bodily powers, thinking that the flesh of 

 this creature has the property of strengthening bone and sinew. 



This animal is extremely tenacious of life, and is said to possess the power of retaining 

 life for an unlimited period if shut up in a completely air-tight cell. Many accounts are in 

 existence of Toads which have been discovered in blocks of stone when split open, and the 

 inference has been drawn that they were inclosed in the stone while it was still in the liquid 

 state, some hundreds of thousands of years ago, according to the particular geological period, 

 and had remained without food or air until the stroke of the pick brought them once more to 

 the light of day. 



Such an account appears at once to be so opposed to all probability as to challenge a 

 doubt; but if there had been sufficient testimony, even to one such fact, an unprejudiced 

 thinker would be justified in placing it among the wonderful but veritable occurrences that 

 occasionally startle mankind. But there really seems to be no account which is sufficiently 

 accurate to permit of such a conclusion. In more than one case, the whole story has proved 

 to be nothing more than an imposition; and in others, there is hardly sufficient evidence to 

 show that some crevice did not exist, which would supply the inclosed animal with sufficient 

 air for its narrow wants, and permit many rain ite insects to crawl into the cavity which held 

 the imprisoned Toad. 



There is no doubt that in many cases a little Toad has crept into a rocky crevice after 

 prey or in search of a hiding-place, and by reason of its rapid increase in size been unable to 

 make its exit. As, moreover, the creature is very long lived, it would, by frequent move- 

 ments, give a polish to the walls of its cell in a few years ; a circumstance that has been 

 employed as a proof of the antiquity of the Toad and its residence. Similar instances are 

 known where the animal has been found inclosed in timber. Here, however, is less difficulty 



