TOADS. 257 



of the Frog. It takes its food in the same 

 manner, but refuses that which is not alive, and 

 even in actual motion. It is sluggish in its 

 motions, neither leaping nor running, its pace 

 being a kind of crawl. On being alarmed, it 

 stops, swells its body, and on its being handled, 

 a portion of the acrid secretion exudes from 

 the glands, and a quantity of pure water, alluded 

 to in our account of the Frog, is suddenly dis- 

 charged from the internal reservoir. 



Like the other Amphibia^ the Toad casts its 

 skin at uncertain periods, after which its colours 

 are much brighter than before. The outer skin 

 divides in a line, extending down the middle 

 of the back and of the belly, and is gradually 

 pushed down in folds towards each side, until 

 it is detached, when it is pushed by the two 

 hands into the mouth in a ball, and swallowed 

 at a single gulp. The hands are used in the 

 same manner, to push into the mouth earth- 

 worms, which in their writhing, twist about the 

 animal's muzzle and head. 



The Toad is more easily tamed than the Frog : 

 Professor Bell mentions a very large one which 

 would sit on one of his hands, and e^t from the 

 other ; and Pennant in his ** British Zoology " 

 has immortalized a pet Toad of one of his 

 correspondents in a narrative, which is interest- 

 ing in another respect also, as shewing the great 

 longevity of this Reptile, 



" Concerning the Toad," writes Mr. Arscott, 

 " that lived so many years with us, and was 

 so great a favourite, the greatest curiosity was 

 its becoming so remarkably tame. It had fre- 

 quented some steps before our hall door, some 



s 



