The Wit of the Wild 



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the road in the dusk, and cannot fail to be seen ; 

 and you bow before that flag with becoming 

 meekness or take the consequences ! 



Another striking example, as familiar in Eu- 

 rope as is the skunk in America, is afforded by 

 the fire-bellied toad, which the Germans call 

 unke. Its upper parts are greenish-black, but 

 the under parts are conspicuously colored blu- 

 ish-black, with large, irregular red or flame-col- 

 ored patches. When one of these toads is sur- 

 prised on land, or roughly touched, it invariably 

 throws back its head, spreads its limbs outward 

 and upward, and curves up its whole body, so 

 that as much as possible of the bright red mark- 

 ings is displayed; and it remains in this posi- 

 tion until the danger has disappeared. 



" In reality," says Gadow, " this is an exhibi- 

 tion of warning colors, to show the enemy what 

 a dangerous animal he would have to deal with. 

 The secretion of the skin is very poisonous, and 

 the fire-toads are thereby well protected. I know 

 of no creature which will eat or even harm 

 them. I have kept numbers in a large vivarium, 

 together with various snakes, water-tortoises, 



<$ 106 5 



