134 ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY 



By watching the live toads and by examination of the stomach con- 

 tents of others, Kirkland collected valuable data in regard to their 

 food at different seasons and under different conditions. For example 

 during a pest of army worms he found in one toad's stomach 55 of the 

 worms; at another time he found 65 larvae of the gypsy moth in one 

 stomach; and in another toad were found 37 tent caterpillars. 



These and many other figures might be given to show that as an in- 

 sect destroyer the toad probably has few superiors and that it is, perhaps, 

 quite as valuable as the average bird and should be equally protected 

 by law. They are useful not only in gardens but may be kept in green- 

 houses. In a certain greenhouse in Massachusetts a valuable collection 

 of orchids was saved by the introduction of a number of toads. They 

 should be collected and brought into gardens, as is done in France, 

 and a number of boards or stone shelters provided for them to creep 

 under and escape the heat of the sun. Probably if the garden were pro- 

 vided with a small pond of running water they would breed there and 

 greatly increase their numbers. They frequently take up more or less 

 permanent summer quarters under porches and other places to which 

 they return every morning after the night's hunt. 



Their chief enemies are hawks, crows, and snakes and from these 

 they could be protected, more or less, in gardens. Chickens and ducks 

 also are destructive to the young toads; and the ubiquitous small boy 

 who, unless otherwise educated, is an enemy to all living things, is 

 also prone to kill toads of all ages. Fortunately the toad is not used 

 as an article of human food, so that the pot-hunter, the worst of all 

 enemies of the lower animals, does not trouble him. 



It will be seen, then, that practically all of the Amphibia are of 

 some value to man and that few if any of them are harmful in any way. 



