93 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



exist, by which means it is argued the increase of the 

 grub may be arrested, and their destructive effects 

 much mitigated. 



The means by which the spores enter the body of 

 the insect is not easily determined ; it may, however, 

 be accomplished either by their passing through the 

 spiracles on the back of the grub, or by being taken 

 in along with the food, but assuming their lodgment 

 in the body to have been effected, either in the mode 

 suggested or by some other means, it is very singular 

 that the plant should invariably spring from the head 

 of the insect, rather than from any other part of the 

 body. In some countries the plants belonging to the 

 genus Torrubia attain to much larger dimensions than 

 those in Ceylon, one has been found in New Zealand 

 which takes root in the larvae of the hawk moth and 

 grows to a height of from six to eight inches, whilst 

 another example occurs in China of similar size, and 

 we have it on the authority of Professor Moseley, 

 that the larva with its attached fungus is made use of 

 by the Chinese and other eastern nations as an article 

 of food, being esteemed a delicacy in soups and in 

 other ways. 



Several species of Torrubia are known as occurring 

 in various parts of the world ; ten species have been 

 figured and described in that admirable work on 

 Fungi, " Selecta Fungorum Carpologia " by Carolus 

 Tulasne, vol. iii., amongst which is one closely 

 resembling the forms exhibited, described under 

 the name of Torrubia cntomorrhiza (Dicks), but 

 which nevertheless appears to be quite distinct from 

 the Ceylon specimens. I have reason for believing 

 that these last are a new species and remain up to the 

 present time undescribed ; specimens are however 

 now in the hands of Dr. M. C. Cooke, the well- 

 known fungologist, who will doubtless shortly deter- 

 mine their true character and position in the great 

 family of Fungi to which they belong. 



THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE TOAD. 

 By J- Arthur Eisdell. 



[Concluded /rout page 77.] 



THE organs of the voice in the toad are only put 

 in action, generally speaking, at the season of 

 reproduction, and then principally by the males ; 

 their croakings and cries seem intended to make 

 the one sex sensible of the presence of the other. 



Toads may be rendered very tame, and be made to 

 distinguish those who feed and are kind to them. 



Mr. Bell possessed a very large one which would 

 sit on one of his hands and eat from the other. A 

 tame toad of which an account is given by Pennant 

 in his " British Zoology," lived for more than forty 

 years, and died at last, as was supposed, from injury 

 caused to it by a raven. So great an age, however, 

 does not appear to be the rule, for Cuvier says that 



the common toad lives upwards of fifteen years, and 

 has young at four. 



It becomes torpid during the winter, and chooses 

 for its retreat some retired and sheltered hole, a 

 hollow tree, or a space amongst large stones, or some 

 such place, and there remains until the return of 

 spring calls it again into a state of life and activity. 



And now we will consider the reproduction of the 

 toad. 



In our climate the early part of spring is the 

 season when this takes place, when the toads of both 

 sexes quit the localities of their late hibernation and 

 their ordinary haunts, and move instinctively to those 

 stagnant waters which are proper for their purpose 

 and where they are collected in swarms. 



The impregnation of the female toad is effected 

 in a very remarkable manner ; for the application of 

 the vivifying fluid to the ova takes place during the 

 passage of the eggs from the body of the parent. 

 During the cohesion of the two sexes, the female 

 commences the deposition of the spawn, which is 

 fecundated during its passage. When first expelled 

 it consists of numerous minute globular bodies enve- 

 loped in a glutinous mass. This latter substance 

 soon absorbs a large quantity of water. 



And now having arrived at our starting-point, 

 namely, the egg, we will consider one or two ques- 

 tions about the toad. 



And first the question as to the venom, as it is some- 

 times called, of the toad. 



There seems to be a deal of evidence on this point, 

 evidence almost all in favour of its not being highly 

 poisonous ; but we will hear it and judge for our- 

 selves. 



Mr. Bell, whom I have already quoted, and who is 

 one of the best authorities (though perhaps rather an 

 old one) upon British Reptiles says : " The opinions 

 formerly entertained of the properties of the toad 

 were eminently absurd. It was highly poisonous, an 3 

 this not only from its bite (you remember I sai I 

 that it has no teeth) ; its breath, and even its glance, 

 were fraught with mischief or death. The only cir- 

 cumstance (Mr. Bell goes on to say) which can be 

 said at all to favour the bad character which attaches 

 to this animal, is that there are situated upon the back 

 and sides numerous secreting follicular glands, the 

 secreted matter from which is somewhat fetid, and of 

 an acrid quality. Dr. John Davy (Mr. Bell con- 

 tinues) was I believe the first who minutely examined 

 into its true nature. He found that the thick yellow- 

 ish fluid, which on pressure exudes from the follicles 

 of the skin, and on evaporation yields a transparent 

 residue, very acrid, and acting on the tongue like 

 extract of aconite, was neither acid nor alkaline ; 

 and since a chicken inoculated with it received 

 no injury it did not appear to be noxious when 

 absorbed and carried into the circulation. Dr. Davy 

 thought that the principal use of this poison was to 

 defend the creature against the attacks of carnivorous 



