68 VERTEBRATA. REPTILIA. 



of the skin, which is of an inflammatory character, 

 and which has been known to produce eruptions 

 upon the hands of those who have handled it. This 

 seems to be the extent of its offending. Its food 

 is the same as that of the Frog, and is taken in the 

 same manner. Like the other Reptilia it sheds 

 its skin at times ; but, while that of the Frog comes 

 off piecemeal, in shreds in the water, the Toad 

 throws off his at once, as we would shift a garment. 

 We will again have recourse to the interesting book 

 of Mr. Bell, who was fortunately a witness of the 

 process. " Having often found amongst several 

 Toads, which I was then keeping, some of brighter 

 colours than usual, and with the surface moist and 

 very smooth, I had supposed that this appearance 

 might depend upon the state of the animal's health, 

 or the influence of some peculiarity in one or other 

 of its functions. On watching carefully, however, 

 I one day observed a large one, the skin of which 

 was particularly dry and dull in its colours, with 

 a bright streak down the middle of the back ; and 

 on examining further I discovered a corresponding 

 line along the belly. This proved to rise from an 

 entire slit in the old skin, which exposed to view 

 the new and brighter skin underneath. I soon ob- 

 served that the two halves of the skin, thus com- 

 pletely divided, continued to recede farther and 

 farther from the centre, and become folded and 

 wrinkled, and after a short space, by means of the 

 continued twitching of the animal's body, it was 

 brought down in folds on the sides. The hinder 



