374 



farmp:rs' register. 



[No. 6 



the pools of water where they assemble in the 

 sprinof, and in or near which, they usually pass 

 the winter, and scatter themselves over the land, 

 and when once they have chosen a favorable po- 

 sition, if not disturbed, they rarely quit it for the 

 seasons, and some have been known to retain pos- 

 session for several years. From these retreats 

 they emerge towards niahtfall, or in the evening, 

 and Itjast on snails, flies, bugs, or any living insect 

 that falls in their way. In a garden their ser- 

 vices are thus invaluable ; and some gardeners in- 

 troduce and protect them through the summer, for 

 the aid they render in the destruction of worms, &c. 



Notwithstanding his clumsy and ungainly ap- 

 pearance, there are few animals so quick of motion 

 •as the load, and this is shown most distinctly in 

 •taking his insect food. It will not unfrequently, in 

 • a warm summer evening when doors are open, 

 make its entrance into the house, where it feeds 

 •on flies that approach. Seated on its haunches, 

 it surveys the floor with great gravity, but if an 

 unwary fly alights within four or five inches it 

 disappears with incredible quickness. There can 

 be a slight motion ol" the toad discovered, a quick 

 snap as of the jaws is heard, but the position of 

 the animal is unchantred. while his prey vanishes 

 with the velocity ol' light. A close examination 

 shows, however, that there is a slight motion of 

 the body forward, without moving the feet ; and 

 the snap is produced by the shutting of the mouth 

 after the tongue has seized and secured the insect, 

 though so quick is the operation perlbrmed, that 

 the tongue is never distinctly seen. We have of- 

 ten seen this feat perlormed by placing a fly or 

 bug, on the end of a grass stalk, and pushing it 

 gradually towards the toad when he first makes 

 his appearance at dusk. The lightning's flash is 

 hardly more quick or fatal than the snap of this 

 reptile to the insect he aims at. 



To enable the toad, frog, chameleon, and pome 

 other reptiles to seize their prey, the tongue has a 

 curious conformation ;" it is of great length, its 

 root is attached close to \\\e forepart of the lower 

 jaw, while its point, which is cloven, is turned 

 backwards, extending into the throat, and acting 

 like a valve in closing the air passage info the 

 lungs. If, when this animal has approached with- 

 in a certain distance of the insect it is about to 

 seize, we watch it with attention, we are surprised 

 to observe the insect suddenly disappear, without 

 •our being able to determine what has become of 

 it. This arises fiom the frog (or toad) having dart- 

 ed out its tongue upon its victim with such ex- 

 treme quickness, and withdrawing it with the in- 

 sect adhering to it, so rapidly, that it is scarcely 

 possible for the eye to follow its motion." (Ro- 

 get's Physiology.) 



A fact which was related to us a few days since 

 by a gentleman, will furnish a curious illustration of 

 the habits of this animal. He was mowing in a 

 field, when he disturbed a nest of the common 

 humblebee. As they were quite numerous, and 

 appeared very pugnacious withal, he concluded lo 

 let them alone until they became more quiet, when 

 he determined to visit the nest again, and appro- 

 •priate their stores to himself. In the course of a 

 few hours he repaired to the spot, when to his sur- 

 prise he saw a large toad had planted himself di- 

 rectly before the place of egress lor the bees; and 

 beseemed so satisfied with his position that the 

 .gentleman determine dlo ascertain if posisible his 



business in that place. He soon saw that every 

 bee that showed himself disappeared in some 

 mysterious manner, and that a slight snap, invaria- 

 bly connected with their disappearance, convmced 

 him it was in some way owing to the toad, and 

 that in this way the animal was doing him good 

 service. It was but a short time before every 

 working bee was despatched, not one escaping : 

 and then, by slishtly disturbing the nest, the queen 

 bee or drones that generally are found to the num- 

 ber of three or four among bumblebees, were in- 

 duced to venture out, and instantly share the fate 

 of their companions. The honey fell to the share 

 of my informant •, the toad appearing perfectly sa- 

 tisfied with his allotment of the "spoils." 



From the Rural Library. 

 TAME RABBITS. 



Their profit— feciindiiy— food — arid managevunt 

 — also, directions for building their huts. 



1. These little animals are really very profita- 

 ble; their food costs nothing, and their produce ia 

 extraordinary; ihey will breed eleven times in a 

 year, bringing forth six or eight yountr; thus at 

 the end of four years a pair of rabbits would pro- 

 duce nearly a million and a half 



2. In its wild state it finds warmth and safety 

 by making a hole in the ground, often to a great 

 depth, these holes or burrows branch ofl', forming 

 chambers where the animal can obtain such n 

 temperature as suits its habits and its young ones. 



3. Rabbits of the domestic breed, like all other 

 animals that are under the protection of man, are 

 of various colors, white, brown, black, mouse co- 

 lor, yellow, and speckled of all colors; its native 

 color is brown, but the white with red eyes, and 

 the large black and white spotted, and the yellow, 

 are the most valuable. Tame rahbits are much 

 larger than wild ones, and their flesh very delicate 

 and nutritive — very little inferior to chicken, parti- 

 cularly that of the yellow colored. 



4. Rabbits are kept in all parts, and to conside- 

 rable extent in some places, particularly in Eng- 

 land, where there are two very extensive estab- 

 lishments, one in Berks, the other in Oxfordshire ; 

 the former feeds white rabbits on account of the 

 superior value of their skins, which are used for 

 hats and trimmings; the latter feeds about nine 

 hundred in huts, or hutches, placed in a building 

 erected and kept solely for that purpose; they 

 make about 36 bushels of dung per week, which 

 generally sells high, being very powerful, two 

 Toads is sufficient for an acre of land. 



5. The rabbit-house should stand on a dry 

 foundation, on a gentle slope; be well supplied' 

 with air, and also with drains and water courses-, 

 bv which means all rain and moisture is rapidly 

 carried off. Exposure to much damp, whether in 

 or out of doors, is fatal to rabbits; they are like 

 sheep liable to the rot. 



6. In large establishments the huts are gene- 

 rally placed in rows one above another, gently in- 

 clining backwards, with holes in the hind part to 

 throw off the urine; the lower ones resting upon 

 stands about 18 inches from the ground, for the 

 convenience of cleaning under them. Hutches 

 for breeding rabbits must have two rooms — a 

 feeding and a bed room, with a sliding door to 

 confine them while cleaning. Single room huts 



