INSECTIVOROUS ANIMALS 



275 



especially such as may be destructive and annoying in 

 the neighborhood. During the nature-study hour turn 

 these in with the toad and let the class gather around and 

 count the number it requires for a dinner. They will be 

 able to observe the manner in which the toad catches 

 an insect, — a flash of pink, almost too quick for the eye 

 to follow, and the insect is gone. From the numbers 



Fig. III. A Pair of Toads 

 Female and male. (Photograph by the author) 



obtained, they may be led to reason what a power for 

 good one such little animal may exert in their gardens. 

 They will also notice that a toad never snaps at anything 

 until it moves, so that all its food must consist of moving 

 living things.-^ 



For the next lesson the children may be asked to study 

 the toads about their own homes. First, how many have 



1 For suitable vivaria or aquaria, see Chapter XXIII. If insects are 

 not obtainable, bits of fresh meat may be dangled on the end of a thread, 

 dragged slowly in front of the toad, etc., thus demonstrating its manner of 

 feeding almost equally well. 



