jg^ Handbook of Nature-Study 



and a little lower down; in the common species it is not quite so large 

 as the eye; this is really the ear-drum, since there is no external ear like 

 ours. The toad's mouth is wide and its jaws are homy; it does not need 

 teeth since it swallows its prey whole. 



The toad is a jumper, as may be seen from its long, strong hind legs, 

 the feet of which are also long and strong and armed with five toes 

 that are somewhat webbed. The "arms" are shorter and there are 

 four "fingers" to each "hand;" when the toad is resting, its front 

 feet toe-in, in a comical fashion. If a toad is removed from an 

 earth or moss garden, and put into a w^hite wash-bowl, in a few hours it 

 will change to a lighter hue, and vice versa. This is part of its pro- 

 tective color, making it inconspicuous to the eyes of its enemy. It 

 prefers to live in cool, damp places, beneath sidewalks or piazzas, etc., 

 and its warty upper surface resembles the surrounding earth. If it is 

 disturbed, it will seek to escape by long leaps and acts frightened; but 

 if very much frightened, it flattens out on the ground, and looks so 

 nearly like a clod of earth that it may escape even the keen eyes of its 

 pursuer. AVhen seized by the enemy, it will sometimes "play possum," 

 acting as if it were dead ; but when actually in the mouth of the foe, it 

 emits terrified and heart-rending cries. 



The toad's tongue is attached to the lower jaw, at the front edge of the 

 mouth ; it can thus be thrust far out, and since it secretes a sticky sub- 

 stance over its surface, any insects which it touches adhere, and are drawn 

 back into the mouth and swallowed. It takes a quick eye to see this 

 tongue fly out and make its catch. The tadpole feeds mostly upon 

 vegetable matter, but the toad lives entirely upon small animals, usually 

 insects; it is not particular as to what kind of insects; but because of the 

 situations which it haunts, it usually feeds upon those which are injurious 

 to grass and plants. Indeed, the toad is really the friend of the gardener 

 and farmer, and has been most ungratefully treated by those whom it 

 has befriended. If you doubt that a toad is an animal of judgment, 

 watch it when it finds an earthworm and set your doubts at rest ! It will 

 walk around the squirming worm, until it can seize it by the head, 

 apparently knowing well that the homy hooks extending backward from 

 the segments of the worm, are likely to rasp the throat if swallowed the 

 wrong way. If the worm prove a too large mouthful, the toad promptly 

 uses its hands in an amusing fashion to stuff the wriggling morsel down 

 its throat. When swallowing a large mouthful, it closes its eyes; but 

 whether this aids the process, or is merely an expression of bliss, we have 

 not determined. The toad never drinks by taking in water through the 

 mouth, but absorbs it through the skin; when it wishes to drink, it 

 stretches itself out in shallow water and thus satisfies its thirst; it will 

 waste away and die in a short time, if kept in a dry atmosphere. 



The toad burrows in the earth by a method of its own, hard to describe. 

 It kicks backward with its strong hind legs, and in some mysterious way, 

 the earth soon covers all excepting its head; then, if an enemy comes 

 along, back goes the head, the earth caves in around it, and where is your 

 toad! It remains in its burrow or hiding place usually during the day, 

 and comes out at night to feed. This habit is an advantage, because 

 snakes are then safely at home and, too, there are many more insects to 

 be found at night. The sagacious toads have discovered that the 

 vicinity of street lights is swarming with insects, and there they gather in 



