NATTERJACK. IJ I 



greenish hue. The underside is yellowish-white with black 

 spots, and the legs are barred with black. The prominent eyes 

 are greenish-yellow, and the long porous gland (parotid) behind 

 the eye is smaller than in the Common Toad. 



The Natterjack breeds later than the common species, the 

 pairing not beginning before the end of April and being spread 

 over May and June. Like the Frog, it is careless regarding the 

 permanent nature of its spawning place. The locality chosen 

 is advertised by the rattling noise of the males, a loud trilling 

 croak continued for a few seconds at a time, and of sufficient 

 power to be heard a mile away. The egg-strings are short as 

 compared with those of the Common Toad, being only five or 

 six feet in length. The blackish tadpoles are only an inch long 

 when fully grown ; but they get through their development into 

 tailless Toads in less than six weeks, and are then less than 

 half an inch long. In another year they only measure three- 

 quarters of an inch ; and when they become mature between 

 the fourth and fifth years they are only between an inch and a 

 half and two inches long. 



The Natterjack feeds on insects and worms, and though its 

 activities are mainly nocturnal, it may be seen running about in 

 full sunshine. When molested it spreads itself out flat on the 

 ground and pretends to be dead. The secretion from its glands 

 when annoyed is said to smell " of gunpowder or india-rubber." 



It is plentiful in some English localities, but it appears to be 

 somewhat migratory, many places whence it may have been re- 

 corded last year failing to yield a specimen to the careful searcher 

 this year. Sir Joseph Banks first called attention to it as a 

 British species in the account published in Pennant's " British 

 Zoology" (1776). Part of his note is worth quoting : "This 

 species frequents dry and sandy places : it is found on Putney 

 Common, and also near Revesby Abbey, Lincolnshire, where it 

 is called the Natter Jack. It never leaps, neither does it crawl 

 with the slow pace of a Toad, but its motion is liker to running. 



