62 VALUE OF THE TOAD. 



only good that was done was the saving of that 

 individual toad's life, for all the party retained their 

 faith in toads' teeth, and probably thought that the 

 creature would not touch me because I was a trifle 

 madder than the rest of my nation, who are always 

 very mad on the French stage. ■ 



Afterwards, I found that the belief in toads' teeth 

 Was quite general ; and one person offered to show me 

 some, half-an-inch in length, which he kept in a box at 

 home. But I was never fortunate enough to see them. 



In England; toads are. sometimes valued for the 

 good which they do ; and the market-gardeners, 

 whose trim grounds surround London, actually 

 import toads from the country, paying for them a 

 certain sum per dozen. For toads are voracious crea- 

 tures, feeding upon slugs, worms, grubs, and insects 

 of various kinds, and so devour great numbers of 

 these little pests to the gardener. 



The mode in which a toad catches its prey is 

 curious enough. Its tongue is fastened into its 

 mouth in a very peculiar way, the base of the tongue 

 being fixed at the entrance of the mouth, the tip 

 pointing down its throat when it is at rest. "When, 

 however, the toad sees an insect or slug within 

 reach, the tongue is suddenly shot out of the mouth, 

 and again drawn back, carrying the creature with it. 



So rapidly is this operation performed, that the 

 insect seems to disappear by magic. The frog feeds 

 in the same manner. 



