1832 TiiK Zoologist — Septembi^r, 18G9. 



the death of the frog, whether large or small, was caused thereby, and 

 in fact these creatures generall}' die after the larvae have worked their 

 way out. * * * It appears some frogs are more infested with this 

 parasite than others : it is most common upon Cystignathus sydney- 

 ensis in this neighbourhood, — a remarkable fact, as this species is the 

 smallest of the tribe and frequents the water much. At Slioalhaven I 

 found Pseudophrine Bibronii much infested, some specimens not more 

 than half an inch long in the body, having two to four larvae to 

 support ; and whenever 1 found Hyla citropus I have always observed 

 the larvae of a fly upon them. I believe that the insect living upon 

 Hyla citropus will prove to be different from the present species, as its 

 larva varies in structure considerably hum all others." — Frans, Ent. 

 Soc. New South Wales, vol. i., p. 100. 



These frog parasites appear to be oestridious, while those on our 

 P^uglish toads usually belong to the genera .\[usca and Anthomyia. 



While on the subject of toad-poisons in a former chapter, I unfor- 

 tunately omitted a paragrajjh which 1 now supply : I am quite unable 

 to say to what particular species of toad the ])assage refers, but there 

 appears to be the strongest reason for believing that the poison in 

 question is identical with the celebrated " wourali," of which so much 

 has been written by the naturalist Waterlon under the impression that 

 the wourali was a jilant. " The most deadly poison known to be used 

 by the slaves in Brazil is that of the toad. Tlie skin of this reptile 

 contains glands which secrete in abundance a milky glutinou-; fluid 

 when the load is ])ut to pain or irritation : this is scraped off and 

 dried: it produces incurable obstruction and enlargement of the liver, 

 and a speedy death. Souio beat the toad with rods to make it secrete 

 the venom, others place the animal in an earthen vessel over a slow 

 file." — R. de Gambleton Daunt in the Dublin Medical Press for 

 September 25, 18(j]. 



It is interesting to observe that while [he ignorant of all ages have 

 believed in the existence of this toad-poison, the men of science have 

 almost universally treated its existence as a fable — a striking ])roof of 

 the danger of setting up hypotheses in any department of science. 



The toad occurs all over Great Britain, but has never been found in 

 Ireland: it lives during the day under stones or in holes: when under 

 flat stones it makes the smoothest possible cell or miniature cavern 

 for its residence, the gallery leading thereto being often distinctly 

 trodden, but never rendered beautifully smooth like their diurnal 

 dormitory, I have found these cells four feel from the entrance of the 



