FROGS, TOADS AND SOME GRAY-HAIRED LIES 453 



There was one toad killed by accident when it 

 was over thirty-six years old, but I do not know of 

 any record being kept of the real length of life 

 of a toad or frog. I have had a fish confined in 

 an aquarium eleven years and it only met its death 

 by the accidental breaking of the tank. I once 

 kept a frog about three years, and he died from an 

 accident. As far as I know, everything tends to 

 the supposition that these creatures live indefinitely 

 until some accident kills them. 



REMINDED OF HIS TOAD. 



After publishing some of these facts I received 

 the following letter from Mr. F. S. Crofoot, of 

 Detroit, Michigan. 



"Your very interesting article, with its splendid illustra- 

 tions on the toad, particularly appealed to me. In your 

 drawings I could see the "counterfeit presentment" of a 

 toad that has been my special pet for the past five years. 



"Up to about a month ago my .toad lived like a king in 

 the back-yard,, regaling himself, as was his wont, on the 

 choice tid-bits of insect life that flourished among the plants. 

 He grew into a ponderous fellow, and such was his con- 

 fidence in his surroundings .that he would see little danger 

 in hopping sluggishly along at the very feet of his human 

 acquaintance. Even our big, black dog was treated with 

 supercilious indifference, much to that canine's sniffling dis- 

 gust. 



"Occasionally Mr. Toad would play an interesting part 

 in a performance that afforded our visiting friends a great 

 deal of amusement. Mr. Toad enjoyed having his back 

 scratched. With a long stick I would slowly Stroke the 

 warty protuberances on his spinal column. He would flatten 

 out like a fat pancake, never making a single move to 



