248 MONTANA EXPERIMENT STATION. 



which were swallowed in less than ten minutes. Mr. Kirkland 

 found in a single stomach the remains of twenty-seven myriapods, 

 in another fifty-five army worms, in another sixty-five gypsy moth 

 caterpillars and in another thirty-seven tent caterpillars. 



It is not possible to make even an approximate estimate of the 

 financial equivalent of the saving to crops brought about by the 

 toad, but the foregoing facts are enough to remove any shadow 

 of doubt that this humble animal is of great value to the gardiner^ 

 florist, fruit-grower and general agriculturist. 



THE TOAD SHOULD BE PROTECTED AND FAVORED 



The wanton destruction of toads by ubiquitous boys is known 

 to all. It is not an uncommon thing for a party of boys to or- 

 ganize an expedition to nearby ponds for the express purpose of 

 killing toads. Dr. C. F. Dodge, published in the Worcester (Mass.) 

 Evening Gazette, March 31, 1897, an account of finding in a sin- 

 gle day two hundred dead or wounded toads on the shores of a 

 pond on the grounds of Clark University. 



We should not blame the boys alone for this, the parents and 

 school authorities are in a measure responsible for this worse than 

 useless taking of life. Rightly trained and directed the boy can get 

 more real pleasure, and at the same time a pleasure that is infinite- 

 ly better for him, by observing the habits of toads and other animals. 



The toad is as deserving of protection by legislation as are in- 

 sectivorous birds. The asthetic, to be sure, is lacking, but the as- 

 thetic side of the question is not the one that prompts us to enact 

 laws that make it a misdemeanor to kill birds. It is the economic,, 

 and on an economic basis the toad is as deserving as almost any 

 bird. 



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