THE COMMON TOAD. ^9 



toad as an animal that has neither good nor harm in it, that 

 being a defenceless creature, nature has furnished it, instead of 

 arms, with a most disgusting deformity, that strikes into almost 

 every being capable of annoying it, a strong repugnancy to 

 meddle with so hideous and threatening an appearance. 



The toad is very easily domesticated, and when 

 under confinement, or partially so, soon becomes 

 emboldened and apparently attached to those who 

 cater for its appetite. A gentleman who caught a 

 young toad, and brought it to the great metropolis 

 to reside with him in town, gives the following par- 

 ticulars of his pet : — 



He would occasionally absent himself for weeks, so that I 

 ceased to be alarmed for his welfare, even though I might not 

 have caught sight of him for a month. In this manner we went 

 on, leaving Toady to take his holidays as he pleased, until the 

 spring of last year. During one of his temporary vacations, I 

 was watching, the movements of some small insects, and it 

 appeared that my pet was watching them also, for on their 

 approaching within reach of his tongue that organ was instanta- 

 neously thrust forward, and the insect disappeared. Thus 

 while losing sight of a new acquaintance, I became aware of the 

 presence of an old friend. I also derived fresh satisfaction in 

 his choice of food, and mode of taking it. Thenceforward I 

 became diligent in supplying him with the same kind of food, so 

 that he soon lost all appearance of shyness, would come out of 

 his hiding-place regularly, day by day, until late in November, 

 1863, when he again disappeared as the frost set in. At this 

 time the weather was very severe for so early a period: the 

 aquarium was frozen, the fish were killed, the glass was broken* 

 and all its contents became a solid mass, plants, animals, and 

 everything embedded, as it were, in a large transparent crystal. 

 Again, I was agreeably surprised, one beautiful spring day in the 

 early part of April, to observe my old friend moving about, as if 

 to inform us that he had returned again from his unknown place 



