114 OUR REPTILES. 



from Sweden and Eussia to Greece and Italy, 

 Ireland excepted. 



Pennant commences his chapter on this rep- 

 tile in the following words : 



The most deformed and hideous of all animals : the body 

 broad, the back flat, and covered with a pimply dusky hide ; 

 the belly large, swagging and swelling out ; the legs short, 

 and its pace laboured and crawling ; its retreat gloomy and 

 filthy : in short, its general appearance is such as to strike 

 one with disgust and horror ; yet we have been told by 

 those who have resolution to view it with attention, that its 

 eyes are fine. To this it seems that Shakespeare alludes, 

 when he makes his Juliet remark 



" Some say the lark and loathed toad change eyes." 



As if they would have been better bestowed on so charming 

 a songster than on this raucous reptile.* 



Pennant, however, only gave expression to 

 the feeling which was common, and almost uni- 

 versal, at the time he wrote. Toads were looked 

 upon with dread and disgust; and even now 

 many people, not only illiterate, but educated, 

 would describe it in equally prejudiced terms. 

 There is nothing very prepossessing, perhaps, in 

 a casual glance at a toad nothing to recom- 

 mend it very strongly to a lady as a drawing- 

 room pet. How often have we heard the 

 exclamation of an anxious mother to her child, 



* Pennant's " British Zoology," vol. iii. p. 14. 



