COMMON TOAD. 117 



very peculiarities which excited the spleen and disgust of 

 our celebrated drawing-room zoologist, only fresh indica- 

 tions of the same discriminating wisdom, and the same 

 never-failing, though often, to the superficial observer, 

 mysterious and veiled beneficence. 



The Toad belongs to a family, the sluggish habits of 

 which are remarkably distinct from those of the lithe and 

 active animals of which the Frog is the type. Terrestrial 

 in its general abode, it requires not the powerful paddles of 

 the latter to propel it rapidly through the water, and its 

 safety consists rather in concealment than in the power of 

 escaping from its enemies. It bears, in fact, the same rela- 

 tion to the Frog that the terrestrial Salamander does to the 

 Water Newt. Like the rest of the amphibia, it becomes 

 torpid during the winter, and chooses for its retreat some 

 retired and sheltered hole, a hollow tree, or a space amongst 

 large stones, or some such place, and there remains until 

 the return of spring calls it again into a state of life and 

 activity. Its food consists of insects and worms, of almost 

 every kind. It refuses food which is not living, and, in- 

 deed, will only take it at the moment when it is in motion : 

 such at least is the result of my own observations upon the 

 habits of this animal, which have been neither few nor 

 brief. The Toad, when about to feed, remains motionless, 

 with its eyes turned directly forwards upon the object, and 

 the head a little inclined towards it, and in this attitude it 

 remains until the insect moves ; when, by a stroke like 

 lightning, the tongue is thrown forward upon the victim, 

 which is instantly drawn into the mouth. So rapid is this 

 movement that it requires some little practice as well as 

 close observation to distinguish the different motions of the 

 tongue. This organ is constructed as in the Frog, and the 

 surface being embued with a viscid mucous secretion, the 



