124 OUR REPTILES. 



wires, while visitors of limited zoological attainments would 

 be puzzled by the strange bird thus hung up. Some similar 

 arrangement attached to a window would materially reduce 

 the number of insects on the panes. It has been observed 

 that they refuse to seize anything that is not in motion, and 

 it may be added that they will attack anything that is, pro- 

 vided it is not too large to be swallowed. It would appear 

 as if their sight, or perhaps judgment, was very defective, as 

 the form or colour of an object seems of no importance, if 

 only it moves. It need not in the least resemble any living 

 creature, any small object in motion is regarded as suitable 

 prey. If the end of a pencil, or anything similar, is drawn 

 along the side of the vase which the toads inhabit, they are 

 nearly sure to strike at it ; and not learning wisdom by 

 failure, they will go at it again and again. One or two small 

 tortoises shared the same vase till the post proved too much 

 for their constitutions, and if one of these put out its head 

 with the intention of taking a slow " constitutional," the 

 movement was pretty sure to attract the attention of the 

 nearest toad, who would place himself in a convenient posi- 

 tion, intently watching his shelly companion, until the latter 

 moved again, when dab would go the toad's tongue upon its 

 head, which the tortoise would quickly draw back into the 

 shell, not appearing to relish the unceremonious salute. This 

 absurd scene, which was of frequent occurrence, was plainly 

 owing to the toad mistaking the head of the tortoise for 

 some insect small enough to be swallowed. Although the 

 toads refuse to strike at a motionless insect, they may be 

 easily deceived, and induced to attack the still object if 

 motion is communicated to themselves, no doubt thinking it 

 is the object that moves, as a child in a railway train fancies 

 the houses and trees are running past. In this way I have 

 often, when holding them to the window, made them strike 

 at flies that were quite stationary. 



On one occasion, while carrying the toad about, I noticed 

 a fly near the top of the door, and presenting the reptile to 



