292 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [June, 



illustrates the danger of drawing conclusions from scanty experi- 

 menting, for stomach examinations show Julus to be a favorite food 

 with toads. A. H. Kirkland says in his valuable paper on the 

 economic value of the toad: 14 "Myriapods form a constant article 

 of diet for the toad. Species of the genus Julus were present in the 

 majority of the stomachs examined, the largest number found in a 

 single stomach being seventy-seven. These creatures form 10 per 

 cent, of the food for the season." 



Mr. Kirkland's examinations of stomachs serve to check another 

 set of experiments which is claimed to show that squash bugs (Anasa 

 tristis) are seldom eaten by toads. The account of these experiments 

 by C. M. Weed and Albert F. Conradi is as follows: 



"The common toad has been generally considered an enemy of 

 the squash bug, being frequently referred to in this connection in 

 articles concerning the pest. We made a large number of observa- 

 tions on this phase of the subject, the most interesting result being 

 the discovery that the odor given off by the bugs will actually kill 

 toads if confined in a small open vessel, such as a wide-mouthed 

 bottle. Some of these experiments as recorded in a published letter 

 by Mr. Conradi are as follows: 15 When a squash-bug nymph of the 

 fifth stage was suddenly introduced into a half-pint, open, wide- 

 mouthed bottle containing a half-grown, live toad, so that the 

 batrachian would get the full effects of the pungent fumes secreted 

 by the bug, the toad was thrown into a temporary stupor, the effect 

 being similar to that of chloroform. As the number of bugs was 

 increased, the effect on the toad was increased. When as many as 

 seven bugs were introduced, the toad fell into a profound stupor, from 

 the effects of which it died in the course of twenty-four hours. 



"On September 8, an adult toad that had been kept in the labora- 

 tory vivarium with a scant food supply for several clays, was placed 

 in a quart jar of the same construction as the one mentioned above, 

 and eight bugs were introduced; these bugs, however, had been so 

 much disturbed previously that the source of the pungent secretion 

 had been temporarily exhausted. The toad hesitatingly devoured 

 three, after which she would remove with her front feet every speci- 

 men that made an attempt to ascend the wall of her enclosure; but 

 these bugs were not eaten. The toad was then transferred to another 

 jar of the same size and construction, and eight bugs were suddenly 



14 Bui. 46, Hatch Exp. Sta., 1897, p. 15. 



"Science, N. S., Vol. XIV, No. 360, November 22, 1901, pp. 816, 817. See 

 also Science, N. S., Vol, XIX, No. 479, March 4, 1904, pp. 393, 394. 



