ZOOLOGY. 331 



brought out. The life history and habits of toads are discussed at some 

 length. 



Eelative to the longevity of the toad, the author states that there 

 are authentic European records of a toad that lived to be 36 years old, 

 when it was accidentally killed, and he thiuks it probable that our 

 American species may be equally long lived. Eelative to their feeding 

 habits he says: 



"At night, soon after sundown, or even before on cool evenings, the toad emerges 

 from its shelter and slowly hops about in search of food. Something of a regular 

 beat is covered by these animals, whose sense of locality is quite strong. In the 

 country this includes forays along roadsides, into gardens and cultivated fields, and 

 wherever insect food is abundant and grass or other thick herbage does not prevent 

 locomotion. In cities and suburban villages the lawns, walks, and particularly the 

 spots beneath electric lamps, are favorite hunting grounds. At Amherst, Massachu- 

 setts, the writer once counted 8 large well-fed toads seated under an arc light and 

 actively engaged in devouring the insects, which, deprived of wings, fell from the 

 lamp above. Dr. Charles Burleigh, a prominent physician of Maiden, Massachusetts, 

 and a close observer in the field of natural science, informs me that a colony of some 

 half dozen toads has for sonic time occupied the sheltered space under the piazza of 

 his house, and that each summer night at about 8 o'clock they sally forth down the 

 walk, cross the street, and take up their station under an arc lamp that is located 

 about 3 rods from the bouse. Here they remain and feed upon the fallen insects 

 until the electric current is turned off, when they return to their accustomed shelter. 



"During the past 2 years the writer has made many observations on toads feeding 

 under natural conditions at all hours of the night. From these observations and 

 from stomach examinations it appears that the toad feeds continuously throughout 

 the night, except when food is unusually abundant. In 24 hours the amount of 

 food consumed is equal in bulk to about 4 times the stomach capacity. In other 

 words, the toad's stomach is practically filled and emptied 4 times in 24 hours. 

 This I have verified by studies on toads confined in cages." 



The result of the stomach examinations are shown in per cent as 

 follows: Unidentified material, 5; gravel, 1; vegetable detritus, 1; 

 worms, 1; snails, 1; sow bugs, 2; myriapods, 10; spiders, 2; grasshop- 

 pers and crickets, 3; ants, 19; carabids, 8; scarabaeids, 6; click bee- 

 tles, 5; weevils, 5; chrysomelids, 1; carrion beetles, 1; miscellaneous 

 beetles, 1; cutworms, 16; tent caterpillars, 9; miscellaneous larvae, 3; 

 total beetles, 27 ; total cutworms, caterpillars, etc., 28. 



The insects found in the stomach of the toad are discussed at length 

 for the purpose of bringing injurious species into prominence. Balanc- 

 ing the noxious against the beneficial features of the toad, 4 points are 

 found to weigh against and 7 in favor of it. A classified list of the 

 insects found in the stomach is given, and the subject of digestion, 

 amount of food, means of making the toad useful, and its natural 

 enemies are discussed. It is estimated that a single toad destroys in a 

 year insects which, if they had lived, might have damaged crops to 

 the extent of $19.88. The practice of collecting and colonizing toads 

 in gardens, etc., is thought commendable, as well as the idea of pro- 

 viding them with artificial shelters by digging shallow holes in the 

 ground and covering the same with boards, etc. 



