Bufonidae 



swallowed, and the small part played in the process by the sense of 

 taste. Among its other insect food the Southern toad finds fire- 

 flies very palatable. So small boys feed the toad with the burning 

 ends of matches, and it is said that only after several have been 

 swallowed does the toad find out its mistake and object to the heat. 



The male is very much smaller than the female and is much 

 duskier in colouring. The general colour may vary from light 

 reddish or greenish brown to black. There is usually a light stripe 

 along the middle of the back and a broader one lengthwise along 

 each side. The underparts are dirty white. The upper surface 

 is warty, but much less strongly so than is the corresponding sur- 

 face in the American toad. (Compare Figs. 67 and 48.) The 

 parotoid glands are somewhat kidney-shaped and are relatively 

 narrow. The eye is unusually large and beautiful, with an elon- 

 gated black oval pupil and a golden iris. The ear is large (though 

 smaller than the eye) and is vertically oval. 



The foot is smaller and more slender than that of the American 

 toad, and the foot tubercles are correspondingly smaller. The 

 mouth has a conspicuous indentation in the upper jaw and a hook- 

 like extension of the lower jaw to fit into this indentation. 



This toad is one of the meekest and gentlest looking creatures 

 that ever lived a lowly life on the ground. (Fig. 65.) Although it 

 becomes very tame in captivity, so that it will take food from one's 

 fingers, or eat sitting in the hand, it still remains very timid, and is 

 startled by any rapid or unexpected movement, (Fig. 66.) While 

 in captivity, toads of this species ate earthworms and insects of 

 various sorts. Among the latter were large polyphemus cater- 

 pillars, hairy caterpillars (such as yellow bear and woolly bear), 

 various sphinx caterpillars, red-legged locusts, and in fact all 

 insects offered, except a large staghorn beetle. This beetle was 

 swallowed, but was almost immediately disgorged, and the toad 

 showed evident signs of discomfort long after. Bufo lentiginosus, 

 like many other toads, shows, when excited, curious, nervous move- 

 ments of the toes. These movements are especially conspicuous 

 when the toad is watching a moving worm or insect just before 

 seizing it. 



After having been kept in a dry place for a few days, this toad 

 — as well as Bufo I. woodhousei from Arizona, and other toads 

 from southern North America — displays an interesting relation 

 to water and interesting movements in it. When released in 



90 



