446 TREE-FROGS. 
by the aid of its fore-feet, which it uses as if they were hands. Sitting 
quietly down with the worm in its mouth, the Toad pushes it further between 
the jaws. first with one paw and then with another, until it succeeds by 
alternate gulps and pushes in forcing the worm fairly down its throat. ° 
This animal is extremely tenacious of life, and is said to possess the 
power of retaining life for an unlimited period if shut up in a completely air- 
tight cell. Many accounts are in existence of Toads which have been 
discovered in blocks of stone when split open, and the inference has been 
urawn. that they were enclosed in the stone while it was still in the liquid 
state, some hundreds of thousands of years ago, according to the particular 
geological period, and had remained without food or air until the stroke of 
the pick brought them once more to the light of day. 
Tne development of the Toad is much like that of the Frog, except that 
the eggs are not laid in masses, but in long strings, containing a double 
series of eggs placed alternately. These chains are about three or four feet in 
length, and one-eighth of an inch in diameter. They are deposited rather 
later than those of the 
\ Frog, and the reptiles, 
Swe which are smaller and 
sagt blacker than the Frog 
larve, do not assume 
their perfect form until 
August or September. 
ANOTHER species of 
Toad, the NATTERJACK, 
is found in many parts 
of England. It may be 
known from the common 
species by the short hind- 
legs, the more prominent 
eyes, the less webbed 
feet, the yellow line 
along the middle of the 
back, andthe black bands 
on the legs. It is not so 
~ aquatic as the common 
. Toad, haunting dry 
_ places, and seldom ap- 
proaching water except 
Z during the breeding sea- 
son. Its ordinary length 
is about three inches. 
" This is really a pretty 
GREEN TREE-FROG.—(/y/a arborea.) creature, its colour being 
green, diversified with a 
line of bright yellow along the back. I kept several of these Toads for a 
long time, feeding them with various insects. No matter how large or active 
the insect might be which was put into the box, sooner or later the Natter- 
jacks were sure to catch it. 
WE now come to the TREE-FROGS, or TREE-TOADS, so called from their 
habits of climbing trees and attaching themselves to the branches or leaves 
by means of certain discs on the toes, like those of the geckos. 
The best known species is the common GREEN TREE-FROG of Europe, 
now so familiar from its frequent introduction into fern cases and terrestrial 
Vivaria. 
