NATURAL HISTORY. 



Vulgaris (Lat. common), the Common Toad. 



The COMMON TOAD has had its full share of marvellous tales. 

 Its poisonous properties are celebrated in many an ancient 

 chronicle, as are also the virtues of the jewel contained in its 

 head. 



Its skin certainly does secrete an acrid humour, which at all 

 events defends it from dogs, who can never be induced to bite 

 a toad a second time ; but of course such absurd notions as the 

 romantic story of the death of a young lady and her lover, who 

 each ate a leaf of a shrub at the root of which a toad had made 

 its habitation, need no refutation. 



The Toad is easily tamed. A correspondent from the coun- 

 try has kindly sent an account of a tame toad, that had lived 

 in the family for several years, and which was accustomed to 

 sup on a lump of sugar. 



The well-known instances of imprisoned toads who must 

 have spent many years in their narrow habitations, are 

 apparently explained by the supposition that some aperture 

 or fissure existed, through which air and minute insects 

 could pass, sufficient for their nourishment while in a semi- 

 torpid condition. Certainly those experimented on by Dr. 



