THE FROGS AND TOADS 



483 



Again, like the newts, frogs and toads 

 slough their skins every few weeks and 

 devour them. Mr. Lionel Oilman, a very 

 careful observer, has given me the follow- 

 ing account of the process in the case of 

 the toad : "I have often seen it stated 



nected, and, as the retraction always 

 takes place when frog or toad is endeavour- 

 ing to cram a botuie boiiche, the expression 

 of the amphibian under such circumstances 

 is highly diverting, and may be defined as 

 " repletion tempered by remorse." Mr. 

 Latter holds that the eyeballs (it 

 must be remembered that there 

 is no intervening bone between 

 these and the mouth cavity) are 

 forcibly retracted in order to 

 help down the worm, or what- 

 ever the food may be. 



The natural food of our frogs 

 and toads consists of small live 

 vertebrates, and the natural 

 method of capture is the flick of 

 a highly extensible and sticky 

 tongue. This latter organ is 

 fixed to the front part of the 

 mouth, the free end of it lying 

 back towards the eyes. In seiz- 

 ing a fly or other minute victim 



THE MALE WATER FROG GAPING. 

 This action is noiseless. 



that they take off their coats, 

 roll them into a ball, and then 

 swallow them. I have watched 

 the process times out of num- 

 ber, and can only say that, in 

 my experience, the skin is 

 swallowed gradually as it is 

 pulled off. The split is down 

 the middle of the back, and 

 the skin is pushed into the 

 mouth on either side by the 

 hands working alternately ; the 

 body meanwhile sweats pro- 

 fusely and is violently contorted 

 at intervals." 



The eyes of frogs and toads are singularly it is flung out to its full extent, and the 

 beautiful. The metalhc lustre of the iris tip of it curled downwards over the object 



THE MALE WATER FROG CROAKING. 

 The vocal sacs on either side are distended, and the mouth closed. 



(emerald specked with black in the 

 Natterjack) contrasts boldly with the 

 liquid depth of the pupil. In a bright 

 light the latter contracts to a horizontal 

 slit. Only the lower eyelid (nictitating 

 membrane) winks, the upper is fixed 



aimed at, which is then whipped into the 

 gullet. The action is instantaneous, and 

 the success of it is assisted by the fact 

 that each time the tongue shoots forward 

 it carries with it some sticky mucus from 

 the roof of the amphibian's mouth. 



to the eyeball. The eyeballs can be, and With most frogs and toads it is essential 



frequently are, retracted into the mouth that the prospective meal should show 



cavity. With this muscular movement some signs of life, and, when it is of con- 



a wink of the eyehd is inseparably con- siderable size — a large worm, for instance. 



