TOAD. Jiv/o vulgarit. 



the Toad is poisonous throughout its life, but that after the age of fifty years it acquires 

 venomous fangs like those of the serpents. I once succeeded, but with great difficulty, in 

 saving the life of a fine fat Toad that was leisurely strolling in the Forest of Meudon and 

 had got into a rut too deep for escape. I had stooped down to remove the poor creature 

 from danger, but was dragged away by the bystanders, who quite expected to see me 

 mortally bitten, and who proceeded to slaughter the Toad on the spot. "Every one kills 

 Toads in France," said they. 



Hearing from them, however, that tobacco was instantaneously fatal to -Toads, I made a 

 compromise that they might kill it by putting tobacco on it, but in no other way. The 

 experiment was accordingly tried, and I had the pleasure of seeing the creature walk away 

 with the tobacco on its back, quite unconscious that it ought to have been dead. One of 

 the spectators not only insisted upon the quinquegenarian fangs, but averred that he had 

 a pair at home in a box. However, I never could induce him to show them to me. 



In point of fact, the Toad is a most useful animal, devouring all kinds of insect vermin, 

 and making its rounds by night when the slugs, caterpillars, earwigs, and other creatures 

 are abroad on their destructive mission. Many of the market-gardeners are so well aware 

 of the extreme value of the Toad's services, that they purchase Toads at a certain sum per 

 dozen, and turn them out' in their grounds. 



Dull and apathetic as the Toad may seem, it has in it an affectionate and observant 

 nature, being tamed with wonderful ease, and soon learning to know its benefactors and to 

 come at their call Mr. Bell had one of these creatures, which was accustomed to sit on 

 one hand and take its food out of the other. Many persons have possessed tame Toads, 

 which would leave their hiding place at the sound of a whistle or a call, and come hastily 

 up to receive a fly, spider, or beetle. Toads can be rendered useful even in a house, for 

 they will wage unceasing war against cockroaches, crickets, moths, flies, and other insect 

 pests. 



It is worthy of notice, that the Toad will never catch an insect or any other prey as 

 long as it is stationary, but on the slightest movement, the wonderfiil tongue is flung 

 forward, picks up the fly on the tip, and returns to the throat, placing the morsel just in the 



