TOADS AND FROGS 



wish to escape the cold. Being a cold- 

 blooded creature— that is to say, an animal 

 whose temperature is the same as that of the 

 atmosphere around it— the toad would not feel 

 cold like we do, for it has no heat to lose. 

 Apart from being actually frozen, chilliness 

 does not annoy either it or the frog, but the 

 absence of all insects is much more serious, for 

 food they must have if they are to go about as 

 usual. The only way to get over the difficulty 

 is to go to sleep while there is nothing to eat, 

 and slumber soundly until grubs are plentiful 

 once more. 



With the return of life in the spring, when all 

 the wild world is mating and nesting, a change 

 comes over even the toads and frogs. The 

 latter feel it first ; even as early as March, while 

 there is stiU ice in the early mornings on ponds 

 and ditches, they journey off to the water. 

 They are very quiet about it; you seldom 

 see them travelling, and the first one knows 

 of it is when masses of jelly-like spawn appear 

 in the pools. Now the toads make no secret of 

 their business ; secure in the fact that no crea- 

 ture will willingly interfere with them, they 

 journey by day as well as by night. The 

 first warm shower that falls early in April 



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