The Loathed Paddock. 105 



extract from Sir Joseph Banks, not the only naturalist by a 

 score who has left on record his admiration of and liking 

 for toads : 



" In a cage, if properly provided with a damp corner, 

 lined with mat, and kept clean, it will live happily and com- 

 fortably a long time. Feed it once a day with earthworms, 

 maggots, or flies ; of all of which it is very fond. I conceive 

 that the workings of your reason would soon gain a victory 

 over your prejudice if you could conquer your first disgust 

 and look at the animal with any kind of indifference. The 

 eye of the toad would first attract your attention, which 

 is brilliant and intelligent; his action in seizing his prey, 

 which is composed of a mixture of force and cunning, would 

 amuse you, and I am confident, if the first prejudice were 

 removed, that in one week's time a toad would become an 

 object of amusement instead of disgust." 



Its nominal connection with the toadstool is very curious, 

 for it arises from the word " pogge," which means a toad, 

 and is also an equivalent for Puck. Now, the " pogge," as 

 I have already said, has in popular superstition a diabolical 

 aspect, and is of the nature of devilkins, of whom Puck is 

 the chief, and the fungus in question, by a very allow- 

 able fancy, is called indifferently a "puck's stool," or 

 toad-stool, and the puff-ball is a pixie-stool, or paddock- 

 stool. Spenser's couplet on this connection, is surely 

 delightful 



"The grisly toadstool grown there might I see, 

 And loathed paddocks lording on the same." 



"Toad-flax," one of the very prettiest of all our wild- 

 flowers, and "toad -pipe," are said to be only accidentally 

 associated with the toad, as the original spelling was " tod," 

 which means a bunch. Not that I care in the least for such 

 learned enlightenments. They spoil a great deal of pleasant 

 fancy, I think, by taking away its flax and its pipe from the 



