TAILLESS BATRACHIANS 219 



toes are at least half webbed. Vocal sacs are absent. 

 The upper surfaces are covered with prominent wrinkles 

 and warts, the pores of which are quite distinct to the 

 naked eye. Some specimens are remarkable for the large 

 size of the warts, which may be very spinose. The paro- 

 toid glands, which are oval or elliptical in shape, are very 

 highly developed, being often more than half as long as 

 the head ; the lower surfaces are granular. The male is 

 always smaller than the female, the difference in the size 

 of the sexes being most marked in specimens from Northern 

 Europe. 



The Common Toad is very terrestrial, living, except 

 during the breeding season, in holes, from which it emerges 

 towards dusk in order to search for insects and worms, 

 which it catches, after careful aiming, by darting out its 

 tongue. Pairing takes place in England towards the be- 

 ginning of April, earlier in warmer localities, usually about 

 three weeks later than the Common Frog. The latter 

 batrachian, as has previously been mentioned, does not 

 take the slightest trouble in choosing a locality for 

 the laying of its eggs. The Common Toad, however, 

 is most particular in its choice of suitable water to breed 

 in, and will travel long distances and surmount all obstacles 

 to reach a certain pond, the " rendezvous " of all the 

 toads for miles round, in spite of the fact that on its journey 

 it may have passed ponds which, to our minds at least, 

 would seem eminently suitable for the purpose. Travel- 

 ling to the ponds takes place by day as well as by night. 

 Should a high-road be situated in the neighbourhood of 

 the pond where these batrachians meet, it is not unusual 

 to find hundreds of crushed corpses of toads, which have 

 been run over by motor-cars and other vehicles. The 



