130 SENDING TOADS TO NEW ZEALAND. 



of reptile life, as countless slugs, caterpillars, and 

 vermin of the same description, are destroyed by 

 these useful if not elegant batrachians. I have at 

 present some pet natterjack toacls which will take 

 flies from my ringers. It is great fun to see them 

 fighting for worms. Two will sometimes seize each 

 an end of a worm, and as fast as the unfortunate 

 worm is swallowed by one, he is again extracted 

 by the energetic efforts of the other toad, until at 

 last he comes in two in the middle, and the two 

 combatants retire to different sides of the vivarium 

 to digest their hardly -earned suppers in peace. On 

 seeing a worm or insect within reach, both natter- 

 jack and the common toad wriggle the toes of 

 the hind-feet with excitement until they seize their 

 prey. 



