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  BUF0N1DJE. 
  

  

  cold, 
  pairing 
  may 
  last 
  a 
  fortnight 
  or 
  more 
  ; 
  otherwise 
  

   the 
  breeding 
  operations 
  are 
  concluded 
  within 
  a 
  week, 
  

   only 
  males 
  that 
  have 
  failed 
  in 
  finding 
  a 
  mate 
  remain- 
  

   ing 
  a 
  little 
  longer 
  in 
  the 
  water, 
  swimming 
  about 
  in 
  

   great 
  anxiet} 
  r 
  and 
  clasping 
  frogs 
  or 
  toads 
  of 
  other 
  

   species, 
  even 
  occasionally 
  fishes, 
  or 
  any 
  object, 
  such 
  

   as 
  a 
  pole 
  or 
  fishing-net, 
  that 
  may 
  be 
  held 
  out 
  to 
  them. 
  

  

  Fig. 
  82. 
  

  

  Male 
  and 
  female 
  pairing. 
  

  

  The 
  eggs 
  come 
  out 
  slowly, 
  in 
  several 
  hours, 
  in 
  two 
  

   distinct 
  strings 
  from 
  the 
  oviducts, 
  and 
  they 
  are 
  

   impregnated 
  in 
  several 
  emissions. 
  The 
  male 
  assists 
  

   with 
  his 
  toes 
  in 
  pulling 
  out 
  the 
  strings 
  ; 
  and 
  the 
  female, 
  

   by 
  winding 
  round 
  during 
  oviposition, 
  twists 
  them 
  

   about 
  water 
  plants 
  or 
  submerged 
  branches 
  of 
  trees, 
  

   usually 
  not 
  far 
  from 
  the 
  borders. 
  The 
  young 
  leave 
  

   the 
  water 
  eight 
  to 
  twelve 
  weeks 
  later, 
  measuring 
  8 
  to 
  

   12 
  mm. 
  from 
  snout 
  to 
  vent. 
  In 
  a 
  very 
  interesting- 
  

   paper 
  on 
  " 
  The 
  Reptiles 
  and 
  Batrachians 
  of 
  the 
  Edin- 
  

   burgh 
  District," 
  W. 
  Evans 
  records 
  finding 
  a 
  pair 
  of 
  

   common 
  toads 
  in 
  a 
  deep 
  pool 
  in 
  an 
  old 
  limestone 
  

   quarry 
  in 
  East 
  Lothian 
  (practically 
  at 
  sea 
  level) 
  in 
  

   the 
  very 
  act 
  of 
  spawning 
  so 
  far 
  on 
  in 
  the 
  season 
  as 
  

   the 
  loth 
  of 
  June, 
  1894. 
  This 
  is 
  the 
  more 
  remark- 
  

   able 
  from 
  the 
  fact 
  that 
  the 
  common 
  toad 
  and 
  the 
  

  

  