120 BUFONID A. 
circumstances connected with this process, which I detailed 
many years ago to the Zoological Club of the Linnean So- 
ciety, and of which the following is the substance. Having 
often found, amongst several Toads which I was then keep- 
ing for the purpose of observing their habits, some of 
brighter colours than usual, and with the surface moist and 
very smooth, I had supposed that this appearance might 
have depended upon the state of the animal's health, or 
the influence of some peculiarity in one or other of its 
functions: on watching carefully, however, I one day ob- 
served a large one, the skin of which was particularly dry 
and dull in its colours, with a bright streak down the mesial 
line of the back; and on examining further I discovered a 
corresponding line along the belly. This proved to arise 
from an entire slit in the old cuticle which exposed to view 
the new and brighter skin underneath. Finding, there- 
fore, what was about to happen, I watched the whole de- 
tail of this curious process. I soon observed that the two 
halves of the skin, thus completely divided, continued to 
recede further and further from the centre, and become 
folded and rugose; and after a short space, by means of 
the continued twitching of the animal’s body, it was brought 
down in folds on the sides. The hinder leg, first on one 
side and then on the other, was brought forward under 
the arm, which was pressed down upon it, and on the 
hinder limb being withdrawn, its cuticle was left inverted 
under the arm; and that of the anterior extremity was 
now loosened, and at length drawn off by the assistance of 
the mouth. The whole cuticle was thus detached, and 
was now pushed by the two hands into the mouth in a 
little ball, and swallowed at a single gulp. I afterwards 
had repeated opportunities of watching this curious pro- 
cess, which did not materially vary in any instance. 
