THE NATTEJKJACK. 135 



means extinct in Norfolk, and we learn of one 

 connected with the " Walking Toad," which is 

 extant in the neighbourhood of King's Lynn. 

 One of these toads is to be obtained and buried 

 in an ant's nest, where it is to be left for some 

 time. When the flesh is all cleared off by the 

 insects, and the skeleton is quite clean, the 

 shoulder bones are to be taken off and thrown 

 into a running stream. One of these bones will 

 float with the current, while the other will float 

 against it. The latter bone must be secured, and, 

 if kept as a talisman, will confer on its possessor 

 supernatural power. 



The name of " natterjack " is evidently a cor- 

 ruption of the German. In that country they 

 appear to have been first known. We think that 

 natter was probably derived from nieder, Anglo- 

 Saxon naedre, " nether " or " lower/' from the 

 creeping habit of the " adder," to which it be- 

 longed, under the form of eddre ; and " jack " 

 from yager, Cf one who runs," a very applicable 

 term for such a running reptile as the natterjack. 

 Moreover, words compounded of nieder have the 

 signification of some place or object lying low, 

 and yager or jagd in such a combination would be 

 well applied to this reptile. 



Pennant notices of it that " several are found 

 commonly together, and, like others of the 

 genus, they appear in the evenings ;" but Mr. 



