Nov. 6, 1873" 



NATURE 



(see Fig. 5, vol. viii. p. 511) represented, in the hope that 

 by the wider circulation of a figure of it, it may be recog- 

 nised, and its habitat so ascertained. 



The common Toad {Biifo vulgaris) is as widely distri- 

 • buted over the earth's surface as is Rana csculeiita. It 

 is less aquatic than the frog, and more sluggish in its 

 motions. In shape it resembles the frog, but is more 

 swollen, with much shorter legs and a warty skin (see Fig. 6, 

 vol. viii. p. 511). The toes are less webbed, and the margin 

 of the upper jaw, as well as the lower, is entirely destitute 

 of teeth. The jaws are similarly toothless in all toads. 



The toad is provided with an oblong, elongated gland 

 called Paroloiii) behind each eye. These glands emit a 

 milky secretion which is acrid and very unpleasant to the 



superficial resemblances to frogs, are termed "Batra- 

 choid." 



He found in the fish no less than four spines each per- 



FiG. i:i.—Dacty!cth 



mouth of some carnivorous animals. Those who have 

 observed a dog attacking a toad can hardly have failed 

 to notice the disgust which the former animal seems 10 

 exhibit by the copious flow of its saliva, its many head- 

 shakings, iJtc. The toad's secretion, however, cannot le 

 said to be poisonous, and certainly it is not so in tl e 

 mode in which the venom of serpents is poisonous, since 

 a chicken may be inoculate,! with it, and yet appear to 

 suffer no injury whatever beyond the inlliction of the 

 slight wound necessary for the performance of the oper.i 



I'lG. 13. — Rhmophryttus dorsaits. 



tion. Nevertheless the secretion exercises a very decided 

 effect upon certain animals, smce the tadpoles both of 

 frogs and of salamandei s are very powerfully affected b) 

 being kept in the same water wiih a toad, if the latter 

 be specially irritated in order to make it discharge its 

 pungent and irritating secretion. 



. True poison and organs fitted both to inflict wounds 

 and to convey the venom into them are not indeed found 

 in any animals which are even near allies of the frogs 

 and toads. Nevertheless a very perfect organ for both 

 wounding and poisoning has been discovered by Dr. 

 Gunther to e.xist in a certain fish {Thalassop/tryiw reti- 

 culata), belonging to a group which, on account of their 



. — Skeleton of the Flyinjj-dragon. 

 (Showing the elongated ribs which support the flitting organ.) 



forated like the tooth of a viper, and each having a sac 

 at its base One such pii=r.ri ct^Vf \ •'s situated rn each 



side of the hinder part of the head in front of the gill 

 opening. Two others were dorsal spines placed one 

 behind the other on the mid-line of the back. Thess 



