98 NATURAL HISTORY 



ham, in Ray's Wisdom of God in the Creation (p. 365), 

 concerning the migration of frogs from their breeding 

 ponds 4 . In this account he at once subverts that 

 foolish opinion of their dropping from the clouds in 

 rain ; showing that it is from the grateful coolness and 

 moisture of those showers that they are tempted to set 

 out on their travels, which they defer till those fall. 

 Frogs are as yet in their tadpole state ; but, in a few 

 weeks, our lanes, paths, fields will swarm for a few 

 days with myriads of those emigrants, no larger than 

 my little finger nail. Swammerdam gives a most ac- 



and putting him down in the midst of it. He would raise himself on all 

 fours, and with his eyes glistening with something like civic ecstasy, 

 would dart out his tongue, right and left, as rapidly as lightning, and 

 lap up the ants in quick succession, with the most laughable gulosity. I 

 also gave him earwigs, glowworms, woodlice, grasshoppers, spiders, 

 dragon-flies, ticks, horse-leeches, grubs, moths, and any insect I could 

 meet with. All seemed equally welcome, either by night or by day; 

 but it was most diverting to see him contend with a worm. He would 

 dart upon it, secure one end, and swallow with all his might; but the 

 worm would annoy him by creeping out of his mouth before he could 

 swallow it entirely; and I have known him persevere for nearly half an 

 hour, attempting to secure his prize, while the worm kept constantly 

 escaping. He would take a snail, when he once saw it extended and in 

 motion ; though he always dashed at the shell, and took all down toge- 

 ther in a moment, but could not manage one of large size. It was to me 

 a great source of amusement to feed him and watch his singular move- 

 ments. He was often frightened, but seldom provoked. I once or twice, 

 however, provoked him, I think, to as much wrath as his cold nature 

 was susceptible of; but I feel quite assured that the toad is at all times 

 perfectly harmless and inoffensive : the idea of its spitting, or otherwise 

 discharging venom is, I am convinced, wholly unfounded. In the winter 

 months my toad always refused food, though he did not become torpid, 

 but grew thin, and moved much less than at other times. He did not eat 

 from the end of November till March, gradually losing his appetite and 

 gradually recovering it: he never seemed affected by cold, except in the 

 way of losing his inclination for food." RENNIE. 



4 Concerning the reason of frogs coming out in rainy weather, the 

 reader will be amply gratified, by referring to the experiments made by 

 Dr. Townson on his two frogs, Damon and Musidora. See his Tracts, p. 

 50. The general result of which has proved the following curious fact: 

 " that frogs take in their supply of liquid through the skin alone, all 

 the aqueous fluid which they take in being absorbed by the skin, and all 

 they reject being transpired through it. One frog in an hour and a half 

 absorbed nearly its own weight of water." MITFORD. 



