120 OUR EEPTILES. 



that organ was instantaneously thrust forward, and the in- 

 sect disappeared. Thus while losing sight of a new acquaint- 

 ance I became aware of the presence of an old friend. I 

 also derived fresh satisfaction in observing his choice of food, 

 and mode of taking it. Thenceforward I became diligent in 

 supplying him with the same kind of food, so that he soon 

 lost all appearance of shyness, would come out of his hiding- 

 place regularly, day by day, until late in November, 1863, 

 when he again disappeared as the frost set in. At this time 

 the weather was very severe for so early a period : the aqua- 

 rium was frozen, the fish were killed, the glass was broken, 

 and all its contents became a solid mass, plants, animals, 

 and everything, embedded, as it were, in a large transparent 

 crystal. Again, I was agreeably surprised, one beautiful 

 spring day in the early part of April, to observe my old friend 

 moving about, as if to inform us that he had returned again 

 from his unknown place of retreat. He had again grown 

 fatter and uglier than he was in the autumn, his skin was 

 blacker and coarser, and dark spots covered the whole body. 

 Yet his eye seemed more brilliant and thoughtful. He came 

 direct to the same spot on which I had fed him when last 

 we met, more than four months previously. He was supplied 

 with what we term " garden-hogs," woodlice, worms, and the 

 lively little black ant. None of these would he touch, if 

 dead, or did not show unmistakable signs of active life. 

 Then would he fix his calculating eye, until the object came 

 within reach of his tongue ; this he would dart at them, and 

 in an instant the object was gone. When satisfied, he would 

 return again to some quiet nook, out of sight. This summer 

 being long and dry, I have had some difficulty in providing 

 him with his necessary food. One day I placed him in a 

 large hole at the bottom of the garden, where I collected 

 the sweepings and rubbish, and he literally became a " toad- 

 in-a-hole." This was some fifty yards from the house, and I 

 left him to shift for himself amongst the insect life of the 

 rubbish. I afterwards sought him to convey him back to 



