THE COMMON TOAD. 37 



the poor creature was swallowed whole by suction 

 down the throat of his formidable adversary. He 

 passed some inches further down the alimentary 

 canal, and at last stuck, forming a knob or knot at 

 least six times as thick as the snake, whose jaws 

 and throat immediately contracted, and reassumed 

 their former natural shape. The snake being out 

 of reach of musket shot, they could not kill him 

 to make any further examination, but left him, 

 continuing in the same attitude, motionless, and 

 twisted round the branch*. 



THE COMMON TOADf. 



The Toad is an animal known to every one : 

 and by his livid appearance, and sluggish and dis- 

 gusting movements, is easily recognized. 



In some countries, as at Carthagena, and Porto 

 Bello in America, Toads are so extremely numer- 

 ous that, in rainy weather, not only all the marshy 

 grounds, but the gardens, courts, and streets, are 

 almost covered with them ; so much so that many 

 of the inhabitants believe that every drop of rain is 

 converted into a Toad In these countries this ani- 

 mal is of a considerable size, the smallest individuals 

 measuring at least six inches in length. If it hap- 

 pen to rain during the night, all the Toads quit their 



* Stedman's Surinam. 



+ Synonyms.— Rana Bufo. Linn. Le Crapaud commun, La 

 Cepede. Skaiv's Gen. Zool. vol. j. tab. 40. 



D 3 



