hollow of more than a yard long, in which I ima- 

 gined it slept, as it came from thence at its first ap. 

 pearance. It was seldom provoked, neither that 

 toad, nor the multitudes I have seen tormented 

 with great cruelty > ever shewed the least desire of 

 revenge. In the heat of the day toads come to the 

 mouth of their hole, I believe for air. I once, from my 

 parlour window, observed a large toad 1 had in the 

 bank of a bowling-green, about twelve at noon, in a 

 very hot day very busy and active upon the grass. So- 

 uncommon an appearance made me go out to see what 

 it was, when I found an innumerable swarm of winged 

 ants had dropped round its hole, which temptatioft 

 was irresistible. Had it not been for a tame raven^ 

 I make no doubt but it would have been now 

 living. This bird one day seeing it at the mouth of 

 its hole, pulled it out, and although I rescued it ? 

 pulled out one eye, and hurt it so, that notwithstand- 

 ing it-lived, a twelvemonth, it never enjoyed itself, and 

 had a difficulty of taking its food, missing the mark 

 for want of its eye. 



All toads are torpid and unvenomous, and seek 

 the darkest retreats, not from the malignity of their 

 cj but the multitude of their enemies. 



