FAMILY RANID^. 67 



judge from those m my possession, although completely identical with the soUtarius, I should 

 be disposed to believe that our northern variety is less brilliant in its markings, and its general 

 color is of a more grave and sombre hue. Dr. Pickering, I learn, has recently seen it in the 

 neighborhood of Salem, where they appear in great numbers, at distant periods, after rains 

 of long continuance. 



"o 



GENUS BUFO. Laurenti. 



Body thick stvoUen, covered with warts or papilla. JaxDs without teeth. Behind the ear 

 a large glandular tumor, having visible pores. Head short. Posterior extremities but 

 slightly elongated. 



THE COMMON AMERICAN TOAD. 



BCFO AMERICANUS. 



PLATE XIX. FIG, 46. YoDNa. — PLATE XX. FIG. 52. AUULT. 



Bufa amencanus. Le Conte, Cat. in McMurtrie's Trans, of Cuvier's Regnc .Vnimal. 



B. musicus. Harlan, Ac. Nat. Sc. Vol. 5, p. 344 (excl. syn.) ; Med. and Phys. Res. p. 109. 



B. americamis. HoLBROOK, N. Am. Herpetology, Vol. 1. p. 75, pi. 9 ; and Vol. 5, pi. 4, 2d Ed. 



The Common Toad. Storer, Massachusetts Report, p. 244. Kirtland, Zoology of Ohio, p. 168. 



Characteristics. Body moderately verrucose. Post-tympanal gland long and narrow. Pos- 

 terior toes semipalmate. Greyish mottled with dusky, and dark bars across 

 the feet. Length three inches. 



Description. Body corpulent, covered with numerous reddish warts irregularly distributed ; 

 granular beneath. Head short, but wide ; channelled above by the prominence of the su- 

 perciliary ridges. Eyes large and prominent ; the eyelids tuberculated. Nostrils small, 

 rounded, and nearer to the nose than the eyes. Parotids prominent, tuberculated, reniform. 

 Fore feet with four short free toes. Hind feet with its five toes connected at their bases. 

 Inner toe shortest ; thence gradually increasing in length to the penultimate, or second trom 

 the outer toe : a large tubercle beneath. 



Color. This is subject to many variations, dependent upon age, season, scanty or abundant 

 supply of food, and even varies at the will of the animal. It may be described generally as 

 grey brown or ash, with irregular but well defined dark blotches, and a pale ash dorsal stripe 

 extending from between the eyes to the posterior part of the body. Eyes black ; irides varied 

 with yellow and black. On the extremities are dark brown bars, extending over the iocs 

 Beneath soiled white. Young, at first dull reddish brown, but by the end of the season 

 become mottled and barred as in the figure. There is a variety occasionally found of a bright 

 red or brick-dust color, but which in other respects resembles this species. 



Length 2-3 inches. 



