56 1VATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 



where it joins to the tail-fin, remarkably broad, without any taper- 

 ness, so as to be characteristic of this genus ; the tail-fin is broad, 

 and square at the end. From the breadth and muscular strength 

 of the tail it appears to be an active, nimble fish." 



In my visit I was not very far from Hungerford, and did not for- 

 get to make some inquiries concerning the wonderful method of 

 curing cancers by means of toads. Several intelligent persons, 

 both gentry and clergy, do, I find, give a great deal of credit to what 

 is asserted in the papers, and I myself dined with a clergyman who 

 seemed to be persuaded that what is related is matter of fact ; but, 

 when I came to attend to his account, I thought I discerned cir- 

 cumstances which did not a little invalidate the woman's story of 

 the manner in which she came by her skill. She says of herself 

 ''that, labouring under a virulent cancer, she went to some church 

 where there was a vast crowd ; on going into a pew, she was 

 accosted by a strange clergyman, who, after expressing compassion 

 for her situation, told her that if she would make such an applica- 

 tion of living toads as is mentioned she would be well." Now is it 

 likely that this unknown gentleman should express so much tender- 

 ness for this single sufferer, and not feel any for the many thousands 

 that daily languish under this terrible disorder? Would he not 

 have made use of this invaluable nostrum for his own emolument ; 

 or at least, by some means of publication or other, have found a 

 method of making it public for the good of mankind ? In short, 

 this woman (as it appears to me), having set up for a cancer-doctress, 

 finds it expedient to amuse the country with this dark and mysterious 

 relation. 



The water-eft has not, that I can discern, the least appearance of 

 any gills ; for want of which it is continually rising to the surface of 

 the water to take in fresh air. I opened a big-bellied one indeed, 

 and found it full of spawn. Not that this circumstance at all in- 

 validates the assertion that they are larvcej for the larva of insects 

 are full of eggs, which they exclude the instant they enter their last 

 state. The water-eft is continually climbing over the brims of the 

 vessel, within which we keep it in water, and wandering away ; and 

 people every summer see numbers crawling out of the pools where 

 they are hatched up the dry banks. There are varieties of them 

 differing in colour ; and some have fins up their tail -and back, and 

 some have not.* 



* The fins or membrane upon the tail and back are an appendage to the males only, 

 and are developed at the season of their breeding. 



