HABITS OF THE TOAD. — NATURAL HISTORY. 105 



Hahiis of the Toad., its change of Skin, S^c. — Being advised 

 about two years ago to keep a toad in my greenhouse for the 

 purpose of destroying ants, I procured one, and find that this 

 animal eagerly devours not only ants, but earwigs, caterpillars, 

 small beetles, centipedes, slugs, and I believe all small insects 

 that may chance to fall in its way, but studiously refusing to 

 touch them if dead. I likewise am able to affirm the shed- 

 ding of the skin, a fact which I have not seen noticed by na- 

 turalists, probably arising from the circumstance of the toad 

 hiding itself at the time of the operation, and swallowing the 

 skin afterwards. 



In the spring of 1839, the one in my possesson seemed 

 in a sickly state, looking thin, and refusing food : one morn- 

 ing I found him under an inverted flower-pot, ( in which I 

 had cut a hole), evidently in great agony, ( surrounded by a 

 pool of fluid excretion, with which the surface of his body 

 appeared saturated ), and apparently choaking. I took it in- 

 to my hand, and found something hanging fi-om both comers 

 of its mouth. I took hold of one portion with my fingers, 

 and drew it easily out, which I threw down, but on the remo- 

 val of the other piece, I was induced to throw it into water, 

 when it expanded, and I found it to be half the skin of the 

 animal, even to the very tips of its toes. The toad was of a 

 much lighter colour after, than before the operation, and I 

 find that invariably its colour changes from dark to light, 

 whenever it emerges from its hiding-place. — Johfi Bright. — 

 Brixton Hill, Surrey. — January lOth, 1840. 



[We believe that zoologists are indebted to Prof, T. Bell, 

 for the first notice of the above curious circumstances which 

 accompany the change of skin in the toad, and which are 

 fully described in the ' History of British Reptiles,' p. 109. — 

 Ed.] 



Information for Collectors in Natural History. — When in 

 Naples last year, I made the acquaintance of a very zealous 

 naturalist and collector, who is willing to send to this coun- 

 try collections of the productions, in various branches of the 

 Natural History of Naples and Sicily, but more particularly 

 of the shells, recent and fossil, and insects, either in ex- 

 change for the shells, recent and fossil, of Britain, or for 

 payment in money. I can testify to his ability and liber- 

 ality, and strongly recommend him to the notice of those 

 w^ho are desirous of collecting the productions of that inte- 

 resting portion of Europe. 



I may add that Mr. Morell is a native of Switzerland, 

 and w^as, for many years, a conespondent of the well-know n 

 naturalist, Dr. Leach. 



