British Amphibians : Toads and Frogs 



as they are in the Frog. The toes are short and 

 webbed ; the head is large, with a flat crown ; the 

 muzzle is short and rounded, and the gape is extremely 

 wide. The whole formation gives the animal a distinctly 

 squattish look. Over the eyes there are small warty 

 protuberances. The iris of the eye is red, marked with 

 a dull mottle. The two hind-legs are quite as long as 

 the body — i.e., an average of 4 inches. In colour the 

 Toad is dark brown above and white underneath. Both 

 the back and belly, however, vary somewhat in different 

 specimens. A pale brown back may often be seen, 

 while a faint rosy tint sometimes overspreads the lighter 

 colouring on the lower parts. The Toad provides us 

 with a good example of protective coloration. On 

 brown earth, when resting, it appears strangely like a 

 lump of earth. If, however, the animal rests among 

 green vegetation during the day, the skin assumes a 

 greenish tint to harmonize with the green surroundings. 

 The male is the smaller of the sexes. 



For food the Toad chiefly relies on the insects, 

 Worms, Snails, and the like, that it may find during 

 its excursions in the mild summer evenings. Espe- 

 cially after rain the animal may be observed moving 

 amongst the vegetation on the outlook for such small 

 game. It is most active at night when the dew has 

 settled or during damp days ; it avoids glaring sun- 

 shine, and seeks a shady retreat during dry periods. 

 After the summer passes and the frosty nights of 

 autumn come in, the Toad crawls into some crevice in 



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