Sow bugs. — These small creatures were most numerous in stomachs 

 taken in the late summer, and made up 2 per cent of the food for the 

 season. Their damage to the roots of orchids, violets, pansies, roses, 

 etc., has been frequently noted by florists. By destroying them the 

 toad renders a distinct service. 



Thousand-legged worms. — These form a constant article of diet, as 

 many as 77 having been found in a stomach. Ten per cent of the 

 food of the toad was of this class. They are f requentl}^ called ' ' wire- 

 worms," although this name belongs properly to the young of the 

 "click beetles." Farmers often find the attacks of these myriapods 

 on potatoes a serious matter. The late Dr. J. A. Lintner has re- 

 corded an instance where for two years in succession a potato crop 

 was severely injured by these "worms." Many cases of injury to 

 newly planted potatoes have come to the writer's attention, while others 

 have recorded the partial destruction of cucumbers, tomatoes, etc. , from 

 this cause. 



Spiders. — It is not strange that such active creatures as spiders form 

 2 per cent of the toad's food. Naturally most of the spiders were of 

 terrestrial species. How much good spiders accomplish is an open 

 question, but since they destroy large numbers of flies we have included 

 them in the column of beneficial insects. It should be noted, however, 

 that the spider's web often catches those active parasitic flies which 

 would otherwise serve man through the destruction of injurious cater- 

 pillars. Perhaps a fair statement would be that the harm the toad 

 may do by including 2 per cent of spiders in its menu is ofiset by the 

 13 per cent of snails, sow bugs, and " thousand legs" which it destroys. 

 This brings us, then, with a clean balance sheet to a consideration of its 

 insect food in the strict sense of the term. 



Grasshoppers, crickets, etc. — These insects were found to make up 3 

 per cent of the food of the toad, and included several of the common 

 species of the hay field as well as house crickets, tree crickets, and 

 cockroaches. The damage to grass and grain crops by grasshoppers 

 is too well known to require more than mere mention. The black 

 house cricket is often a nuisance, while the cockroaches and water bugs 

 are even worse. The small roach or water bug was often found in 

 stomachs of toads taken on city streets. The toad is entitled to 

 unstinted praise for its work in destroying these insects. 



Ants. — We come on debatable ground when we take up the economic 

 importance of ants. The writer for the purposes of this paper has 

 regarded them as of neutral value. Most entomological writers regard 

 lightly the shortcomings of these industrious and highly intelligent 

 creatures. Certainly one can not observe their systematic domestic 

 arrangements and evident reasoning powers without a feeling of sincere 

 admiration. During the season of their activities they destroy a cer- 

 tain number of soft-bodied insects and carry off more dead ones as a 



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