294 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [June, 



into use to force the unfortunate worm into the capacious gullet 

 of its captor." 18 



In this connection we may quote C. F. Hodge, iy who, in giving 

 instructions as to the use of toads as insect catchers in houses, says: 

 "Sugar solutions should not be used [as bait] on account of the 

 danger to honey bees which a toad will take in great numbers despite 

 their stings." Hodge quotes 20 a feeding test by Miss E. M. Foskett, 

 the insect used being Macrodactylus subspinosus. Miss Foskett 

 says: "One day I gathered a quantity of rose bugs in a tin box, 

 sat down in the shade beside my queer pet and began feeding bugs 

 to him. At first I did not count, but finding his appetite so good, 

 I started to count. When I had counted over eighty bugs and the 

 toad showed no signs of wishing to conclude his meal, I picked him 

 up. .... Previous to my beginning to count, he had taken 

 anywhere from ten to twenty bugs. He was quite a large toad, but 

 the bugs were large, too, and very 'scratchy.'" 



The American Sportsman (Vol. 3, No. 2, October 11, 1873, p. 23) 

 reports a series of experiments with toads by Dr. Thomas Hill. 

 This account does not have a thoroughgoing appearance of verity, 

 but this may be not a reflection on the experiments themselves, but 

 upon the reporting. It is said a toad ate "yellow-striped" locusts, 

 earthworms, and at one meal twenty-three squash bugs and ninety- 

 four larvse of Pygcera menistra [Datana ministra]. 



C. V. Riley briefly states 21 the results of offering larva? of Anosia 

 plexippus to various animals, as follows: "Prompted by ... . 

 experiments made in England, I was led to make similar ones with 

 our gayly colored Archippus larva, and the result fully accords with 

 that obtained by Mr. Weir, for neither turkeys, chickens, toads, nor 

 snakes would touch it." 



Included with some notes on the Florida chameleon (Anolis 

 principalis), Dr. S. Lockwood records 22 an observation upon captive 

 toads. Two of these animals ate ; respectively, three and two potato 

 beetles (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) , after which they would take no 

 more. Dr. Lockwood then remarks: "It was specially observable 

 of the one which had swallowed the three spearmen, despite the 

 grotesque gravity of his demeanor, that there was a certain dolorous 



18 L.c, p. 11. 



19 Nature Study Leaflet, Biol. Ser. I, Worcester, Mass., 1898, p. 11. 



20 L. c, p. 10. 



21 Third Ann. Rep. on the Insects of Missouri, 1871, p. 148. 

 32 Am. Nat., 10, 1876', p. 8. 



