180 Mr. J. Brown on the Abstinence of the Toad from Food, 



XXVII. — Observations on the Common Toad, and on its long 



Abstinence from Food. By John Brown, Esq. 

 In repeating an experiment on the Common Toad as to its 

 long abstinence from food when deprived of a free circulation 

 of air, which was made three years ago (see vol. hi. p. 518, 

 4 Mag. Nat. Hist/ N. S.), it will there be seen that the ani- 

 mal in that instance died three days after it was restored to 

 light and air, from its being, as was supposed at the time, 

 most injudiciously exposed to the sun during that time in a 

 southern aspect for the purpose of its being seen by any one 

 who from motives of curiosity might wish to do so. 



After the death of this toad, the trial being thought not 

 quite perfect, another was selected and placed in the same 

 grave out of which the former one was taken, and after re- 

 maining in that situation for three years to the very day upon 

 a bed of dry flinty gravel, and with full three feet in depth of 

 gravel over it, and without any apparent means of obtaining 

 food, the toad was removed from its dormitory alive, but its 

 body and limbs were discovered to be wasted and shrunk in 

 some measure. This removal took place on Friday the 2nd 

 of the present month (September). It was then put into a 

 hole made in the ground about six inches deep and shaded 

 from the sun ; in this state it lived seven days, but it died on 

 the eighth day after it was taken out of the ground. 



At the same time that the animal now under notice was 

 buried alive, four other toads were put alive also under two 

 flower-pots ; two animals under each pot, with its mouth 

 downwards, as in the former instance, to prevent the pressure 

 of earth from crushing them. 



These were also buried three feet below the surface, in a 

 corner of a field in a dry soil. Here we met with a very dif- 

 ferent result ; for after removing the earth and turning up the 

 flower-pots, not a vestige could be seen of any part of the four 

 animals that were put under them three years before ; and 

 although search was made, not ina careless manner, forany.part 

 of the bones, skin, &c, not a trace of any of them could be seen ; 

 every fragment of their skeletons had disappeared : and after 

 searching the earth over which the pots covering the toads 

 had been whelmed very cautiously, all that could be found in 

 the soil belonging to the animal kingdom were the antennae, 

 legs, and the elytra of beetles. 



The only solution of the difficulty that then presented itself 

 as to the cause of removal of the carcases of the toads, was 

 that the larvae of the beetles in question, or the insects in a 

 more perfect state of existence, had effected their removal by 

 devouring them. 



