COMMON TOAD. 125 
alluded to, immediately takes place. Its quickest move- 
ment is an imperfect leap. 
The general form of the Toad is certainly far from pre- 
possessing. The body is puffed out and swollen; the head 
large, flat on the top ; the muzzle rounded, and yery obtuse. 
There are no teeth either in the jaw bones, or on the palate. 
There is above the eyes a slight protuberance, studded with 
pores; and the parotids are large, thick, prominent, and 
porous, secreting an acrid fluid. Body covered with warts, 
which are larger above, and more numerous beneath. Fore 
feet with four toes, not at all palmated ; hind legs of mode- 
rate length ; the toes five in number, and slightly palmated. 
The colours are liable to some variation, but are always 
much lighter and brighter immediately after the removal of 
the old cuticle ; the upper parts are of a dirty, lurid, or 
blackish grey, with sometimes a slight greenish tinge ; 
tubercles more or less brown; beneath, dirty yellowish- 
white, sometimes spotted with black. 
Dimensions of a large specimen :— 
In. Lines. 
Total length : : : : o 8 5 
Hinder leg . ; i : : 3 7 
Fore leg : : : ; ~ 2 
