THE TOAD. 317 



to mention it as the old Toad I have known so many 

 years ; I can answer for thirty-six years. This old Toad 

 made its appearance as soon as the warm weather came ; 

 and I always concluded it retired to some dry bank, to re- 

 pose till spring. When we new layed the steps, I had 

 two holes made in the third step, on each, with a hollow 

 of more than a yard long for it ; in which I imagine it 

 slept, as it came from thence at its first appearance. It 

 was seldom provoked. Neither that Toad, nor the multi- 

 tudes I have seen tormented with great cruelty, ever 

 showed the least desire of revenge, by spitting or emitting 

 any juice from their pimples. Sometimes, upon taking it 

 up, it would let out a great quantity of clear water, which, 

 as I have often seen it do the same upon the steps when 

 quite quiet, was certainly its urine, and no more than a 

 natural evacuation. Spiders, millipeds, and flesh maggots, 

 seem to be this animal's favorite food. I imagine if a bee 

 was to be put before a Toad, it would certainly eat it to its 

 cost; but as bees are seldom stirring at the same time that 

 Toads are, they rarely come in their way ; as they do not 

 appear after sun-rising, or before sunset. In the heat of 

 the day they will come to the mouth of their hole, I be- 

 lieve, for air. I once, from my parlor window, observed a 

 large Toad I 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 around his hole ; 

 which temptation was as irresistible as a turtle would be 

 to a luxurious alderman. In respect to its end, 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 lurt it so, that notwithstanding its 

 living a twelvemonth, it never enjoyed itself, and had a 

 difficulty of taking its food, missing the mark for want of 



