24 



Enemies — The Shadow Side of Life. 



So far nothing has been said about the troubles and dangers of the 

 toad's hfe. The large plate at the beginning is meant to show the 

 main phases in the life-history. If one looks at it, perhaps he may 



Toad making a meal of an angle zvorm. 



wonder what becomes of all the tadpoles that first hatch, as only two 

 toads are shown at the top. Is not this something Uke the human 

 life-history ? How many little children die and never become men 

 and women ! Well, the dangers to the toad begin at once. Suppose 

 the eggs are laid in a pond that dries up before the little toads can 

 get ready to hve on the land ; in that case they all die. The mother 

 toads sometimes do make the mistake of laying the eggs in ponds 



,7 couple of tiev'ts /casting on tadpoles. 



that dry up in a little while. You will not let the artificial pond at 

 the schoolhouse dry up will you ? Then sometimes there is an 

 especially dry summctr, and only those that transform from tadpoles 

 to toads very early are saved. 



