14 ETON NATUKE-STUDY 



the toad is easy to keep in vivaria, and will soon become tame 

 enough to take a living insect from the hand. It is, however, 

 in the garden that the toad is seen to best advantage, and it is 

 strange that the great good this animal does to cultivation is 

 not more generally recognised. Few animals in the way of slugs, 

 caterpillars, and beetles, seem to come amiss to the toad. We should 



FIGURE 152. A young Trout in the "fry"' stage after the yolk 

 sac has been absorbed. 



hear far less of the depredations of garden pests if toads were treated 

 as welcome guests in our gardens. Probably the ugliness of the 

 creature, and its reputed power of spitting venom, and suchlike 

 nonsense, account for the popular dislike in which the animal is 

 held. We should recommend therefore the nature student to see 

 that his garden has a plentiful supply of toads, and at the same 

 time to watch the habits of these animals in his vivarium. 



The method of catching his prey, employed by the toad, the 

 removal of his skin and its ultimate fate, the measurement of his 



