THE TOAD. 49 



Particulars of a tame one. 



detested being so much noticed and befriended, 

 excited the curiosity of all who came to the 

 house ; and even young ladies so far conquered 

 the horrors instilled into them by their nurses, as 

 generally to request to see it fed. It appeared 

 most partial to flesh maggots, which were kept 

 for it in bran. It would follow them on the 

 table, and, when within a proper distance, would 

 fix its eyes and remain motionless for a little 

 while, apparently to prepare for the stroke, 

 which was instantaneous. It threw out its tongue 

 to a great distance, and the insect stuck by the 

 glutinous matter to its tip, and was swallowed 

 by a motion quicker than the eye could follow. 

 This it was enabled to do from the root of the 

 tongue being attached to the fore- part of the 

 mouth, and lying, when at rest, with the tip to- 

 wards the throat. After being kept above thirty- 

 six years, it was at length destroyed by a tame 

 raven, which one day seeing it at the mouth of 

 its hole, pulled it out, and so wounded it, that it 

 died soon afterwards. 



It has been said, that whenever a spider and 

 toad meet, a contest always takes place, in which, 

 from its superior dexterity and address, the for- 

 mer often proves victorious. However true this 

 may be with respect to foreign spiders and toads, 

 it is not the case with ours. 



Living toads have been discovered in blocks 

 of stone and the solid trunks of trees. M. Lecat, 

 in order to account for this extraordinary phe- 



VOL. vi. NO. 39- G 



