3TS 



THE AUKlUULTtrtlAL SEWb, 



Novj;mi>kb 29, 1919. 





INSECT NOTES. 



THE TOAD IN THE WEST INDIES. 



In the last number of the Agricidliinil Nfics the Insect 

 Ivotes referred to the suggestion that the toad and skunk 

 should be introduced into Porto Rico, where it was expected 

 that they would function in the control of insect pests of 

 growing crops. This has special reference to the need 

 for some agency for the coctrol of the May beetles, the grubs 

 of which are a serious pest of sugar-canes in that island. 



In the Notes and Cotnuicnts in the same issue of 

 the Agricultural Neivs a warning was given about the 

 possibility of danger in introducing the American skunk 

 into one of these tropical islands, because of the lack 

 of knowledge as to how such an animal would adapt 

 it-self to its new environment. 



The common toad in the West Indies is Bufu 

 martinis or Bk/o agita. It is called in most of the 

 islands the 'crapau'' '. According to the ' Cambridge 

 .Natural tiisooiy", iMs species ranges from the Antilles 

 and Mexico to Argentina. Apparently it does not 

 occur in the Virgir Islands nnd^ Porto Rico, since steps 

 are being taken to introduce it into Porto Rico and 

 Santa Cruz. 



Prof. A. E. Verrill in his book 'The Bermuda Islands,' 

 records this species, and gives as common names the 

 Great Surinam Toad or Agua Toad. The Surinam toad 

 as given in the 'Cambridge Natural History' is an entirely 

 different animal, belonging to a different sub-order, and of 

 very dilferent structure and habit, and Verrill's illustration 

 reproduced from photographs from life, evidently represents 

 the West Indian toad, and not the Surinam toad. 



This toad is well known as an insect feeder, and it is 

 eaid to devour even larger prey. Verrill .states that 'in 

 Barbados and Jamaica it is valued because of its habits of 

 catching field rats and insects. In the stomachs of those 

 I dissected were only vvii,gs and oth^r fragments of cock- 

 roaches and ground beetles, with some fragments of dry 

 twigs, probably swallowed accidentally.' Insects of all sorts 

 are included in the diet of this animal. In Barbados it is 

 not uncommon to see toads under the electric lights in 

 the streets feeding up<j.. the icsects which are attracted 

 by the light, and fall to the ^-roucd. The ordinary black 

 hard back forms a considerable part of the food obt\ined 

 in these situations. 



The toad is nof^tiirnpl in habit, going in search of its 

 food in the early ev.ining, and remaining (juiet, hidden or 

 partially hidden, in a cool, damp place during the day, but 

 on occa.s=on8 it ventures forth dating the day. In cotton 

 fields badly at'ackod by the cotton worm, toads arc some- 

 times very nnmerouH, anl they have been observed to cat 

 many ooifo ' worms. Oa one occasion a toad in a cotton 

 field w.is ted thiilcc;. of tLi,ov v...i.u.o in quick succession. A 

 cotton worm was tbro-.vri on to the ground jast in front of the 

 toad. As long as the crtcrpillar remained motionless the 

 toad apparently took no notice. The first wriggle attracted 



the caterpillar disapptiirt-ii, 

 i\fter a few caterpillars had 



attention, and with the next 



snapped up by the long tongue. 



been taken, the toad seemed to realize thit it was being fed, 



and there was less waiting and wai..;hing ; sometirae.s the 



caterpillar was snapped up as soon as it fell to the ground. 



The brown hardbacks which at present arc attracting 

 at.t(3ntion as pests in Barbados, Antigua, and Porto Rico are„. 

 from their habits, liable to be eaten by toads. The adult 

 beetles burrow into the ground where they hide during th* 

 day and come out at night The to id being nocturnal would 

 be likely to find many of these beetles as th?y left the ground 

 or returned to it 



It is said that in many of these island.s the toad is less 

 abundant than formerly. The late Dr. C J. Manning, writ- 

 ing on the Birds of Barbados in the Education Gazett: for 

 Aueust 1914, refers to the absence of surface ponds in that 

 island as compared with former times as explaining, in part, 

 the decreased number of migratory birds which visit Barba- 

 dos at the present time. 



His notes would seem to havi; a bearing on the decreased 

 numebr of toads. According to this observer, the [laatjrs. 

 of Barbados have completely changed the physical aspect 

 and conditions of the island during the past fifty years. 

 Formerly each of the 400 and more .estates in the island had 

 at least one pond, and mosc of them had more, and 

 it is estimated that there were over 1,000 ponds all 

 brimful of water during the wet season. Apart 

 from these, there were water courses, ravines, etc., all hold- 

 ing water in the rainy season There was a good deal of 

 pasture land and many trees. Now the ponds have all beea 

 drained, many pastures have been planted, ravines and 

 g.iUies havf been very nuich cleared, so that they provide for 

 a quick run otl' of the water. The trees have been cut down 

 to a \ery iiirge extent. The drainage of the ponds has 

 removed tc a large extent the natural breeding places of the 

 toads; the converting of the pastures have reduced their 

 fefding grounds to some extent; and the removal of the 

 trees has made the island drifr, not by reducing the amount 

 of rainfall, but by allowing for the uninterrupted sweep of 

 drying winds across the island. 



Toads require water for their breeding places. The 

 eggs ate laid in long strings; the tadpoles which hatch from 

 these are aquatic, without legs, swimming by means of 

 a fleshy tail, which is h'st as the legs are d-veloped. When 

 this happens the y ung toaJs leave the water and start 'ii» 

 a terrestrial life. 



Mr. E. G, Smyth, Entomologi.st on the stall of the 

 Insular Experiment Station, Porto Rico, who recommends 

 the intfoduction of the toad into that island, suggests 

 transporting the egg-masses from the United States or 

 Mexico. It would seen to be simpler to collect a few toads 

 in one of the We.st Indian islands, where they are abun (ant, 

 and introduce them. They are able to subsist for some 

 time without food, and it would seem to be a sinqjle matter 

 to tran8pf)rt them short distances in any numbers desired. 

 The mongoose is blatned for helping to keep down the 

 numbers of tne toad, but it is doubtful if the mongoose is 

 respo; sible for any large reduction in their numbers. The 

 toad is possessed of a warty and repulsive looking skin, 

 which is said to be poisonous, and it is said also that the 

 parotoid glands secrete a poisonons substance, which can be 

 ejected as a fine vapour when >h-i toad is roughly treated 

 or much irritated. Verrill ('The 

 that a member of his party in 

 observe this di^char^e of vapour 

 toad. 



It is known that dogs that worry toads and uiouthi 

 them are liable to conTU'sion?, and they tire said to did aa 



Ijermiida Islands) .states 

 Bermuda was able to 

 from the nioutli of the 



