THE AMPHIBIA 247 



face is a uniform white. It is a very gentle creature, and soon 

 becomes quite tame and fearless in captivity. In the Midwife 

 Toad (Alytes obstetricans) the male pushes his hind limbs through 

 the convoluted mass of extruded eggs, and then withdraws into 

 his hole, coming forth at night in search of food and to moisten 

 the eggs. After a full three weeks, during the whole of which 

 time the male has carried the eggs bound round his thighs, the 

 tadpoles are nearly ready to escape, and he then seeks and enters 

 the nearest water, the gelatinous cover of the eggs becomes 

 moistened, and the young are enabled to burst through and make 

 their escape. 



The most ancient Amphibia appear to have first lived during 

 the Carboniferous Age. Some were lizard-like, others were more 

 snake-like, and some were more like salamanders in shape. Their 

 remains have been found in the Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic, 

 and Tertiary deposits. 



