112 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St, Louis. 



species in his list, as it has been reported from Greenway, 

 Clay Co., Ark., where it was collected by Dr. Eugene S. 

 Meek of the Field Museum of Natural History, and, no 

 doubt, will eventually be found in the Sunken-lands of 

 Missouri. 



Habits. — Colonel Nicholas Pike in Bulletin No. 7 of 

 the American Museum of Natural History, gives a 

 very able life history of this toad, from which I quote the 

 following: — **The harmless little creature is still not un- 

 common, if you only know where to find it. There lies the 

 difficulty — so few do know — and, excepting some natural- 

 ists, very few would distinguish it from a common toad. 

 It must of course be hunted for in secluded places, and 

 woody hill-sides, but I will venture to say that even the 

 most knowing, in nine cases out of ten, will only find a 

 Spadefoot by accident. 



^^They make circular holes in the ground about six 

 inches deep, somewhat turnip shaped. A few minutes 

 sufficed for them to burrow out of sight. The long feet, 

 with the horny excrescence serving as an additional toe, 

 and the strong curved fingers enable the Spade-foot to 

 make the excavation rapidly. This is not by any means 

 the completion of its home. The inside has to be worked 

 smoothly, and the earth prevented from falling in. 



^^This is done by the animal working its body with a 

 circular motion, and the operation would go on for an 

 hour or more, and the liquid exuding' from its pores 

 worked into the earth made it smooth, and formed a cur- 

 ious little dwelling when completed. Eound the top was a 

 layer of viscous matter, and woe betide any unwary in- 

 sect that alighted on it. Closely concealed lay Spade- 

 foot, only the bright eyes visible, ever on the watch, and 

 unerring in its aim when any luckless fly intruded on the 

 threshold. They appeared to be greedy feeders. 

 ' ^^This I find is the usual summer residence of the 

 'vSpade-foot, and when once domiciled, it rarely leaves 



