118 OUE KEPTILES. 



tubercles when the animal is irritated. Whilst the lad had 

 the animal in his hand, this liquid, which is a violent poison, 

 was introduced through the wound in his hand into the 

 blood. He was soon after seized with vertigo, vomitings, 

 and faintings, and was carried to the house of his parents, 

 who called in a doctor immediately ; but already the malady 

 had made such progress that, in spite of the most energetic 

 means employed, the patient soon died.* 



The venomous character of the toad seems to 

 have been a firm belief of the ancients ; but 

 they had, at the same time, very erroneous 

 opinions of the s ' toad^s envenomed juice," as- 

 signed to it a power and an action far different 

 to what it possesses. ^Blian regarded the toad 

 as capable of conveying death in its look and 

 breath; and Juvenal records of the Eoman 

 dames that they infused the venom of the toad 

 in wine, to form a draught whereby to rid them- 

 selves of their husbands. Our own Shakespeare 

 used it as a compound of the witches* caldron 

 in " Macbeth": 



Toad, that under coldest stone, 

 Days and nights hast thirty-one 

 Sweltered venom sleeping got, 

 Boil thou first i' th' charmed pot. 



Even Pennant, with all his repugnancy to the 

 toad, could not be induced to favour the popular 

 belief in its poisonous character. 



* Petit Journal, 29th March, 1865. 



