230 Rev. Edward Stanley ofi the Vitality of Toads. 



these creatures remaining to be cleared up, and so much con- 

 flicting evidence, that I cannot bring my mind to any very posi- 

 tive conclusions *. I certainly have never been fortunate 

 enough to meet with one of the many instances of toads said to 

 have been found hermetically immured in wood or stone, wherCf > 

 they must have existed for several years at least ; but I have 

 met with them in situations, such as bottoms of shafts, caverns, 

 cellars and crevices, where I could not easily account for'itf ^ 

 due supply of their known usual food, and, in fact, I selected' 

 the imprisonment under flower- pots, as the nearest mode of 

 combining their natural habits with the supposed theory of ex- 

 istence under absolute exclusion. That No. 5, placed in thi^ ' 

 bottle, died from exclusion of air I think there can be no doubt V 

 and that No. 4, though supplied with air, would have died in 

 another 24 hours, is most probable ; but I think it not impos- 

 sible but that some other causes might have operated, for when- 

 ever I observed them, I could not perceive the slightest appear- 

 ance of uneasiness or sense of restraint ; they appeared exactly' 

 according to their usual habits, in a sort of dull dormant quies.1 

 cent state, just as when found in some secluded chink in rocks 

 or under stones, when the only predominant feeling appear t^^ 

 be dissatisfaction at any interruption to their sluggish life, ac- 

 companied by an unnatural excitement (I will not call it activi- 

 ty) of their limbs, occasioned by fear, and anxiety to make 

 them retreat with all speed to some similar abode under some 

 other " cold stone," wherein again to resume their " iron 

 sleep."" In a word, the awkward dull movements and lethargic 

 eye of a disturbed toad, seem to express the very sentiments of 

 the Scandinavian prophetess to Odin : 



\^ 



• As the experiments of Herissant in 1777, and Dr Edwards in 1817,l»^yv 

 not be generally known, I shall briefly state, that the former shut up three 

 toads in sealed boxes in plaster, which, after having been deposited for eigh- 

 teen months in the Academy of Sciences, were opened and two of the toads 

 were found to be living, one alone having died. Dr Edwards enclosed some 

 toads totally in plaster, and absolutely, as far as he could, deprived them 

 of air : they all lived many days, and much longer than those which were 

 forced to remain under water. This singular result can only be accounted for 

 on the supposition that air must have penetrated through the plaster. 



" Now my weary eyes I close. 

 Leave me, leave me, to repose.' 



