38 IN NATURE'S WAYS 



shall prove itself to be alive by movement before he 

 tackles it, and you see him squatting before a promising 

 worm, his beautiful eyes glittering, the most intent 

 look on his face, waiting for minutes for the movement 

 which sends his tongue flashing out, to double back on 

 itself in his mouth, the live worm on the end of it. 

 A full-grown cockroach may give him some trouble 

 before he can swallow it, though he will take six or 

 seven in succession. He swallows snails with their 

 shells, though he cannot manage very large ones. 

 Sometimes a worm he is trying to swallow succeeds 

 again and again in creeping out of his mouth, much 

 to his annoyance. 



When November comes the toad gives up eating 

 altogether, to fast and sleep through the winter, not 

 stirring again until March. 



Once or twice in the year he changes his coat, which 

 slits down the back so that he can wriggle himself out ; 

 then by putting a hind foot between his front ones, 

 he is able to pull out his leg from the skin, as from a 

 stocking ; and when at last he is free of his skin, he 

 promptly swallows it thus gaming, at no cost, a new 

 coat and a free meal at the same time. 



The Clever, Plucky 



" House-sparrows build under eaves in the spring ; as the weather 

 becomes hotter, they get out for coolness, and nest in plum-trees 

 and apple-trees. 



" These birds have been known sometimes to build in rooks' nests, 

 and sometimes in the forks of boughs under rooks' nests." 



