ni 



TOADS AND LIZARDS. 



Toads, called also crapaud or frog (Bufo agua) are 

 largely insect feeders, and are very valuable in keeping 

 down the numbers of many insects. They feed largely at 

 night, and therefore capture many nocturnal insects but 

 they also feed by day. Toads generally recognize their prey 

 by its movements and consequently they rarely, if ever eat, 

 dead or dying insects which may contain fungus or insect 

 parasites. Toads have often been observed to watch an 

 insect such as a cotton worm, lying motionless on the 

 ground, for some time, and at the first movement of the 

 insect to snap it up with lightning rapidity. 



Lizards are largely insectivorous in their feeding habit. 

 The ground lizards in certain islands, and the small green 

 species which are to be seen on trees and plants, are always 

 on the lookout for insects, and if one has the patience to 

 watch for a few minutes they may be observed when stalk- 

 ing and capturing their prey. It is generally believed that 

 in those islands where the mongoose has been introduced, 

 the abundance of many insects is largelv due to the fact that 

 lizards, toads and many birds have been killed off by that 

 animal. 



FISH. 



Many species of fish attack water insects and are 

 specially useful in controlling mosquitoes. Millions, on 

 account of their small size and greedy appetites, are par- 

 ticularly useful in the West Indies ; but in all localities 

 there are almost certain to be small fish possessing similar 

 habits, which exert a considerable influence on the abundance 

 of mosquito larvae. 



Fig. 181. Millions 

 Enlarged. {Imperial Dept. Agric.) 



