I4O LIVING CREATURES. 



writer of a .hundred years ago, who describes fishing 

 as ' ' a stick and a string with a fool at one end and a 

 worm at the other. " For the comfort of such the 

 verses of Dr. Walcott may be quoted, who thus ad- 

 dresses the innocent fish, without hooking him : 



" O harmless tenant of the flood, 

 I do not wish to spill thy blood ; 



For nature unto thee 

 Perchance has given a tender wife, 

 And children dear, to charm thy life, 



As she hath done to me. 



"Enjoy thy stream, O harmless fish, 

 And when an angler, for his dish, 



Through gluttony's vile sin 

 Attempts a wretch to pull thee o^tt, 

 God give thee strength, O gentle trout, 



To pull the rascal in!" 



32. TOADS AND FROGS. 



THE toad, named Bufo, is a droll, humorous, wag- 

 gish fellow. He has no visible means of defense. 

 He can not bite, for he has no teeth. He can not 

 scratch, for he has no claws. Yet he comes out at 

 night-fall, and looks you in the eye as if he were con- 

 scious of his safety. It is observed that neither the 

 cat nor the dog will touch him. This is because from 

 some glands behind his head, he sends forth a fluid 

 which is biting and offensive, though not poisonous. 



There is a real sense of fun in Bufo. He will play 



