Mr. Fothergill on the Natural History of the Toad. 85 



lation from a great quantity of ore of tellurium (particularly 

 from the foliated ore of Nagyag, with at most five per cent, of 

 the matrix). From this ore, freed by distillation from a part of 

 its sulphur, he has reduced the metal in greater quantity, pro- 

 bably, than it has yet been procured in by others. The sul- 

 phur I received from him, the appearance of which already 

 denoted it to contain selenium, yielded, by the process above 

 described, thirty grains of that substance in a state of purity. 

 I regret, that owing to the nature of the material examined, 

 it was not in my power to determine whether all the ores of 

 tellurium, or only certain species or varieties of them, contain 

 selenium ; and also that I was unable to direct my attention 

 to the quantity they may contain. It is now ascertained, how- 

 ever, that tellurium derives its odour from selenium; for the 

 pure tellurium reduced by M. von Gersdorf emits while 

 burning, or by partial oxidation during sublimation, merely 

 the smallest indication of that smell, which, since Klaproth's 

 investigation, has been considered as a characteristic of this 

 metal. 



Vienna, July 4, 1823. 



XIV. Hints towards the Natural History of the Toad *. 

 By William Fothergill, Esq. 

 pROM remote antiquity to the present enlightened age, the 

 toad has had the unmerited misfortune to be considered 

 as venomous in no common degree ; which has subjected it 

 to every species of cruelty that prejudiced ignorance could 

 inflict. If the following observations, illustrative of its true 

 manners and habits, should have the effect of procuring it 

 better treatment, by proving, not only its innocency, but use- 

 fulness in the occonomy of nature, the writer will reflect with 

 satisfaction on the time devoted to this friendless reptile. 



Toads leave the place of their retreat for the winter the 

 first mild weather in the spring, and their first work appears 

 to be the propagation of their species; to accomplish which, 

 they resort to watery ditches, pools, and the weedy margins of 

 lakes: the spawn is extruded from the female in a long string 

 resembling small beads connected by a transparent gelatinous 

 Bubstanee; the male sits perched upon the back of the female, 

 and the spawn is impregnated during extrusion. The writer 

 has never been so fortunate as to see him perform the office 

 of accoucheur as related by Demours in the Memoirs of the 

 French Academy; but he will not assert that such a circum- 



' Borne extra ti from (hi- paper were given in the Linn.xan Transactions 

 VOI, xin p, 618. 



stance 



