RANA. 



covered with tubercles, is generally of a 

 dark brown colour above, and a light yel- 

 low on the lower parts both of the body 

 and limbs. It lives to a considerable age, 

 surviving, in some instances, even twenty 

 years, and the case of a toad, which arriv- 

 ed at the age of forty, is mentioned by 

 Mr. Pennant. This was remarkable, not 

 only for its longevity, but for being in a 

 great degree domesticated. It was in- 

 troduced to the table of the family, caught 

 its food, consisting of insects, with great 

 alertness and dexterity, grew to an un- 

 common size, would approach on being 

 called by a particular name given to it, and 

 regularly resided in a hole under the gar- 

 den steps. The ideas formerly entertain- 

 ed of venomous qualities possessed by 

 this animal, and on which the writers of 

 almost every age have expatiated with 

 firm belief are now ascertained to be 

 groundless, and the toad is regarded as an 

 inoffensive animal, at least with respect 

 to mankind, on whom its touch or bite 

 never produces any serious injury. The 

 small lizard appears, after biting the 

 toad, to experience a temporary paraly- 

 sis ; even the mouths of dogs are stated 

 to be somewhat irritated and inflamed by 

 the exudation in the skin of this animal, 

 in a state of alarm and irritation. But 

 the limpid fluid, which it otherwise dis- 

 charges during this state, is said to be 

 free from even the slightest corrosive 

 quality. The exudation of some other 

 species, however, is considered to be 

 highly acrimonious. The statements 

 which have repeatedly been published of 

 toads found living in large blocks of 

 wood and of stone, with no perceivable 

 inlet for the air, and touched on all sides 

 by the substance in which they were in- 

 closed, appear to savour of the marvellous, 

 and such representations are certainly not 

 to be credited upon light authority. It is 

 ascertained that a toad will live for many 

 weeks, and even months, in a very small 

 case, or under a pan buried deeply in the 

 earth. A gentleman inclosed three toads 

 in three boxes before the members of the 

 French Academy, and covered these box- 

 es with thick mortar, leaving them in the 

 apartments of that Society, and after 

 eighteen months the boxes were opened, 

 and two of the animals were found still 

 living. The eyes of the toad are remark- 

 able for their clearness and beauty, and 

 excite sensations of a very different na- 

 ture from that disgust and even horror, 

 which its general appearance almost uni- 

 versally excites. See Amphibia, Plate IF. 

 fig. 2. 



The common toad of die United States 

 bears considerable resemblance to this, 

 but is specifically distinct, as well in the 

 external characters of the body as in its 

 habits : the bufo walks, but that invaria- 

 bly leaps. To the toad of the United 

 States deleterious qualities have been at- 

 tributed; when provoked or captured, it 

 is apt to eject its urine ; if this falls on the 

 hand or any part of the body, it is suppos- 

 ed that warts will be the consequence ; 

 this is a vulgar error, and may have ari- 

 sen from the repulsive appearance of the 

 animal, and the wart-like tubercles of its 

 body ; a species of toad in Carolina has 

 been described by Shaw under the name 

 of Leiitiginosa. 



R. cornuta, or the horned toad, is dis- 

 tinguished by two sharp horns on its head, 

 or rather by so peculiar a structure of the 

 upper lids of its eyes, as to produce the 

 resemblance of horns. Its mouth is of a 

 most extravagant width, and in the whole 

 list of amphibious animals it is difficult 

 perhaps to point out one equally calcu- 

 lated by deformity and ugliness to excite 

 disgust. It is found only in South Ame- 

 rica. 



R. pipa, or the Surinam toad, is much 

 larger than the common toad, being some- 

 times seven inches in length. This ani- 

 mal is almost equally loathsome with the 

 last, and is distinguished particularly by 

 that curious deviation from the general 

 course of nature, the exclusion of its 

 young from its back, which contains a va- 

 riety of cells for their residence, and a 

 certain degree of maturation. It appears, 

 however, that the ova are first deposited 

 on the margin of some stagnant water, 

 and afterwards, with great care, collect- 

 ed on the back of the female, and pressed 

 into the cells, which are at particular sea- 

 sons opened for their reception, and im- 

 mediately on receiving them close over 

 them. Here the young, from the egg state 

 to that of the tadpole, and from the lat- 

 ter to the form of the perfect animal, and 

 after the expiration of three months from 

 their inclosure, are dislodged in this ma- 

 tured state. In the space of five days* 

 one female has been seen to exclude in 

 this manner seventy-five young ones. 



R. temporania, or frog, is met with almost 

 every were throughout Europe, in low 

 and wet situations, where it can pro- 

 cure that food on which it principally 

 subsists, worms and insects. During the 

 heat of summer it generally resides in wa- 

 ter, and is able to swim with great dex- 

 terity, its hind feet being furnished with 

 strong web.-?, admirably adapted for this 





