Bufonidae 



It is found that 88% of a toad's food consists of insects and 

 other small creatures that are considered pests in the garden, 

 grain-field, or pasture. It is estimated that in three months a toad 

 will eat 9,936 injurious insects, and that of this number 1,988 (16% 

 of all its food) are cutworms. Counting the cutworms only, the 

 estimated value of a single toad is $19.88 per year, if the injury 

 done by a single cutworm be put at the low figure of one cent per 

 year. 



During the pest of army-worms, one toad examined was found 

 to have eaten fifty-five of the caterpillars. During the siege with 

 gypsy-moths there were found sixty-five larvae in the stomach of 

 one toad. Another toad which was examined was found to have 

 eaten thirty-seven full-grown tent caterpillars. The farmer and 

 the market gardener, in the light of these statistics, and face to 

 face with their almost endless struggles against insect pests, are 

 beginning to value toads. They have shown their recognition of 

 the value of toads by asking for legislation to protect them, 

 similar to that which protects birds. 



The toad does good service, too, in destroying slugs. (Fig. 57.) 

 These are the gray slow-moving creatures that leave shining, 

 slimy tracks wherever they go. They are seldom seen except on 

 dark, rainy days, because, although they are busy all night eating 

 the tender leaves of the lettuce and other low-growing plants, 

 they are sound asleep under boards and stones when the morning 

 light comes. Unless the gardener sees the shining tracks of the 

 slugs, he blames the caterpillars and beetles for all the damage 

 done to his plants. 



Celia Thaxter, in "Island Garden" tells of her struggles with 

 slugs. There were so many that every green leaf that appeared 

 was eaten off by them during the night. Some'one suggested that 

 the toad was the enemy of the slug, so she sent for toads, as there 

 were none on the island. Two boys caught sixty toads and sent 

 them to her in a wooden box containing earth, with wire netting 

 on top. When the box reached her there were three dry and 

 dusty toads sitting on the top of the earth. They were so dusty 

 that she showered them with water, but she was not prepared for 

 the result. "The dry baked earth heaved tumultuously; up came 

 dusky heads and shoulders and bright eyes by the dozen." The 

 toads sat there and blinked and " talked " with delight. She 

 turned the box on its side and set the whole sixty free in the 



84 



