THE COMMON TOAD. 1^3 



ting-room of these troublesome insects during last summer 

 Indeed the notion occurred to me of constructing a sort of cage 

 of wire- work, and suspending it in the centre of the room, as is 

 done with the so-called " Fly-catcher," believing that the en- 

 closed toad would be willing to make himself useful by appro- 

 priating the flies that settled on the wires, while visitors of 

 limited zoological attainments would be puzzled by the strange 

 bird thus hung up. Some similar arrangement attached to a 

 window would materially reduce the number of insects on the 

 panes. It has been observed that they refuse to seize anything 

 that is not in motion, and it may be added that they will attack 

 anything: that is, provided it is rot too large to fce swallowed 

 It would appear as if their eight, or perhaps judgment, was very 

 defec'ive, as the form or colour of an object seems of no import- 

 ance, if only it moves. It need not in the least resemble any 

 living creature, any small object in motion is regarded as suit- 

 able prey. If the end of a pencil, or anything similar, is drawn 

 along the side of the vase which the toads inhabit, they are 

 nearly sure to strike at it; an I not learning wisdom by failure 

 they will go at it again and again. One or two small tortoises 

 shared the same vase till the post proved too much for their 

 constitutions, and if one of these put out its bead with the 

 intention of taking a slow ■' constitutional," the movement was 

 pretty sure to attract the attention of the nearest toad, who 

 would place himself in a convenient position, intently watching 

 his shelly companion, until the latter moved again, when dab 

 would go the toad's tongue upon its head, which the tortoise 

 would quickly draw back into the shell, not appearing to relish 

 the unceremonious salute. This absurd scene, which was of 

 frequent occurrence, was plainly owing to the toad mistaking 

 the head of the tortoise for some insect small enough to be 

 swallowed. Although the toads refuse to strike at a motionless 

 insect, they may be easily deceived, and induced to attack the 

 still object if motion is communicated to themselves, no doubt 

 thinking it is the object that moves, as a child in a railway 

 train fancies the houses and trees are running past. In this 

 way I have often, when holding them to the window, made them 

 strike at flies that were quite stationary. 



On one occasion, while cariying the toad about, I noticed a 

 fly near the top of the door, and, presenting the reptile to it, was 



