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THE BOOK OF NATURE STUDY 



British Amphibians. There are only six : 



(1) The common frog Rana temporaries. 



[The edible frog Rana esculenta is occasionally found, 

 e.g. in Norfolk, but it has probably been introduced 

 for culinary purposes.] 



(2) The common toad Bufo vulgaris. 



(3) The natter-jack toad Bufo calamita. 



(4) The crested newt Triton cristatus. 



(5) The common newt Triton vulgaris. 



(6) The webbed newt Triton palmatus. 



The toad may be distinguished from the common frog in many 

 ways, e.g. by its wrinkled, rather dry skin, covered with wart- 



FlG. 36. The common toad Bufo vulgaris. The 

 skin is rough, with wart-like glands from which a 

 poisonous secretion exudes, and there is a par- 

 ticularly large gland behind the ear. 



like poison-glands, by the different 

 coloration, by the less developed web 

 between the toes, by the absence of 

 teeth, by the different mode of loco- 

 motion more crawling and less 

 jumping, by being an expert climber, 

 by the marked nocturnal activity, by hibernating far from water, by 

 laying the eggs in long strings. The toad is an exceedingly useful 

 animal, destroying slugs and injurious insects ; it is gentle, harm- 

 less, and easily tamed ; it cannot in any sense squirt or spit poison. 



FIG. 37 The male of the crested 

 newt Triton cristatus. There is 

 a high serrated median fin ex- 

 tending from the head along the 

 back, and after a short interrup- 

 tion continued on to the tail. The 

 female has no crest. In the male 

 of the common newt Triton vul- 

 garis the crest is wavy but not 

 serrated, and it is continued with- 

 out interruption from neck to 

 tail. 



