COMMON TOAD. 1G 
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 
