Bufonidae 



Francisco, southern California, and Lower California. It has 

 been found east of the Sierras also. 



Bufo halophilus is a very large, tame-looking toad. On 

 dark, cool days, it is so dark a dull grey or olive that the spots 

 are wholly obliterated — only the low rounded warts show. The 

 colour below becomes dark to correspond with that above. The 

 parotoids and the glands on the tibia are more distinct in this dark 

 phase of colouration than in the light. On bright warm days the 

 toad is a very different-looking creature. It is clay-colour or 

 light yellowish green, with a pronounced spotting of black or dark 

 brown, and the warts are brownish-red centred. 



When hunting its insect food, this toad often walks instead of 

 hopping. We should expect this habit, because of the unwieldy 

 size of the body and the shortness of the legs. When frightened 

 and trying to escape an enemy, it flattens its body and creeps 

 along stealthily and alertly. In fact, of all the strong, alert 

 toads of North America, this is perhaps the strongest and most 

 alert. Nothing seems to exhaust or cool its ardour, not even 

 physical injury, if it once becomes alarmed and tries to escape. 

 When this toad is active and excited, its skin constantly sends 

 out a secretion, so that it looks and feels slimy. This secretion 

 has a peculiar oily odour, not especially disagreeable. 



It is much dependent on being under the protection of some 

 cover, even in high temperatures. It makes a shallow burrow for 

 the day and a deeper one for the winter months. 



After having been deprived of water for some time, this toad 

 shows interesting movements, aimed at getting all parts of the 

 absorbing skin wet. He squats in shallow water, flattening the 

 body as much as possible. He moves about slowly, keeping the 

 body depressed, then puts the water on the top of his head by 

 means of his hands, and wets his back with his feet. These 

 movements are always unexpected and interesting. 



The female is apparently voiceless; the male gives rapidly 

 a series of high-pitched notes, like the harsh sounds produced by 

 a squawking toy doll. 



Bufo halophilus has a subspecies representing it at the north; 

 namely, Bufo halophilus columhiensis {Bufo microscaphus Cope) 

 with the Columbia River the type locality. 



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