1912.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 291 
liar acid to the larve which feed upon it, such as to cause their 
rejection as food by small reptiles, etc.?” 
Plateau found that Rana temporaria and Triton punctatus rejected, 
while Triton alpestris disregarded the larve of Abraxas." Eltringham 
cites a very few tests made with a salamander. The animal accepted 
earthworms and honey bees, and disregarded larve of Pieris 
brassice. Finn found that the Indian bull-frog (Rana tigrina)* 
took all butterflies offered to it, except two Danais chrystppus, of 
which species it ate one. 
In the United States. 
A number of experiments upon Amphibia have been performed in 
the United States. These are discussed in two groups, those on 
toads-and those on frogs. 
Toaps.—In company with Dr. A. K. Fisher, the writer once 
attempted to give a toad (Bufo lentiginosus) his fill of hymenopterous 
food. This occurred on Plummer’s Island, Md., about 1905. Honey 
bees and wasps of the genera Polistes, Sceliphron, and Vespa were 
captured, their wings were clipped, and they were put down so that 
they would crawl in front of the toad, which was partially domesti- 
cated about the cabin and was not much disturbed by the move- 
ments of humans. The toad took every insect offered, although at 
times he showed considerable but ludicrous signs of discomfort. Not 
less than 30, and perhaps as many as 40 Hymenoptera were taken by 
this animal in about an hour. He finally left the spot, apparently 
to get away from a locality characterized by such extremely spicy 
food, which nevertheless he was apparently unable to refuse. 
In another experiment performed by the writer at the same locality, 
on August 6, 1911, another toad was also fed Polistes, Pelopeus, and 
another stinging wasp, none of which was refused. A sphinx moth, 
a small white moth, several ants and flies also were taken. The 
toad attempted to eat a katydid (Cyrtophyllus perspicillatus), but 
found it too large. A small Heterocampa larva, colored green and 
red, was eaten, and then a Julus was put before him. As soon as 
it began to crawl he seized it by one end and, not getting a good hold, 
ejected it. It then crawled over his head. This might be construed 
by some as evidence of dislike, but I think that if the Julus had been 
fairly seized it would have gone down. At any rate the case well 
u Mém. de la Soc. Zool. de France, VII, 1894, pp. 383, 384. 
2 Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1909, pp. 473, 474. 
13 Journ, Asiatic Soc. Bengal, 66, 1897 (1898), p. 533, 
