VIII THE TOAD S5 



in animals usually called reptiles, such as lizards and toads, 

 than in any other living creatures. A toad is a most useful 

 member of society, and deserves the freedom of all floricultural 

 societies, as well as entire immunity from all the pains and. 

 penalties which he undergoes at the hands of the Ignorant and 

 vulgar. In hotbeds and hothouses he is extremely useful, and 

 many gardeners take great care of toads in these places, where 

 they do good service by destroying beetles and other insects. 

 In the flower-beds too they are of similar use. Of quiet and 

 domestic habits, the toad seldom seems to wander far from his 

 seat or form under a loose stone, or at the foot ofa fruit-tree orbox- 

 edging. There are several habitues of this species in my garden, 

 whom I always see in their respective places during the middle 

 of the day. In the evening they issue out in search of their 

 prey. I found a toad one day caught by the leg in a horse- 

 hair snare which had been placed for birds. The animal, not- 

 withstanding the usual placid and phlegmatic demeanour of its 

 race, seemed to be in a perfect fury, struggling and scratching 

 at everything within his reach, apparently much more in anger 

 than fear. Like many other individuals of quiet exterior, toads 

 are liable to great fits of passion and anger, as is seen in the 

 pools during April, when five or six will contend for the good 

 graces of their sultanas with a fury and pertinacity that is quite 

 wonderful, fighting and struggling for hours together. And 

 where a road intervenes between two ditches, I have seen the 

 battle carried on even in the dry dust, till the rival toads, in 

 spite of their natural aquatic propensities, became perfectly dry 

 and covered with sand, and in, this powdered state will they 

 continue fighting, regardless of the heat, which shrivels up their 

 skin, or of passers-by, who may tread on them and maim them, 

 but cannot stop their fighting. There is more cha.racter and 

 energy in a toad than is supposed. After the young ones have 

 acquired their perfect shape, they appear to leave the water, 

 and frequently the roads and paths are so covered with minute 

 but well-formed toadlings, that it is impossible to put your foot 

 down without crushing, some of them. 



In some of the drier banks and hills m this country, there 

 are numerous adders j like most other snakes, however, they 

 never willingly fly at people, only biting when trod upon or 

 taken hold o£ 1 have had my dogs occasiona;Uy, Jaut rarely, 



