26 The American Toad, Bufo lentiginosus americanus LeConte. 



LIFE-HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN TOAD.* 



The most familiar amphibian of our country is the common toad. 

 It is easy of observation, and numerous are the good accounts of its 

 habits, life-history, and structure. In appearance, it is stocky with short 

 stubby limbs, has a conspicuously warty skin and decided head-crests 

 (Plate xi, Figs. 1 and 2). It is more nocturnal than diurnal. When it 

 first emerges in the spring it appears more frequently at night. Through 

 the months of April and May it can be seen by day as well as at night, 

 wending its way to shallow overflows, which may be clear, leaf-laden, 

 grassy, weedy, or swampy. It seeks also transient or permanent ponds, 

 ditches, and slow-moving portions of our streams. From the end of 

 May to the first w r eeks of July they are leaving the breeding-places to 

 resume a terrestial existence until the same season comes again the 

 next year. Their life from completion of breeding to hibernation is 

 largely nocturnal, except in cloudy or rainy weather, or in favorable 

 shady localities like gardens, etc. During the sunshiny hours^they 

 seek cover beneath piazzas, under board walks, flat stones, boards, logs, 

 woodpiles or similar covers, in cellar entrances and countless other dark 

 or moist situations. It is the most domestic of our Anura and presents 

 an interesting sight when feeding in the streets or roads beneath our 

 electric lights. When the cold severe weather of the autumn comes, 

 then the toad digs backwards into its regular summer quarters^ (Plate 

 xi, Fig. 3) or may choose another site for its hibernation. 



THE FIRST APPEARANCE. 



This species appears about 6 or 7 days after the peeper, 4 days after 

 the meadow-frog, and 1 day after the wood-frog. It emerges about the 

 same time as Rana palustris, antici- 

 pating it by one or two days. 

 Usually its first emergence each year 

 comes in the evening or through the 

 night. An average of first appear- 

 ance from 1900 to 1912 yields April 

 9, but in the years of closer search 

 (namely, 1906 to 1911) April 1 is 

 the average and more likely date of 

 emergence. The first records are 

 shown in table herewith. 



The maximum air-temperatures 

 for the day of the record range from 

 53 to 80 degrees or average 64 de- 

 grees; those for the day preceding range from 41 to 76 degrees or average 

 57 degrees. Each record is flanked on one side by a maximum of 53 



*Cf. Prof. S. H. Gage's "Life-History of the Toad." 

 1904, pp. 185-206. 



Cornell Nature-Study Leaflets, 



