74 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. [cHaAP. VIII 
They feed a great deal on the shore. When flying they keep in 
close rank, but as soon as they alight the whole company instantly 
disperse, and run (not jump, like many small birds) quickly 
about in search of their food, which consists principally of small 
insects and minute seeds. They often pitch to look for these on 
the barest parts of the sand-hills, the dry sands always producing 
a number of small flies and beetles. So tine and dry is the sand 
which composes the hillocks and plains of that curious district, 
that every beetle and fly that walks or crawls over its surface in 
calm and dry weather leaves its track as distinctly marked on 
the finely pulverised particles, as the rabbit or hare does on 
snow. The foot-prints of the lizards. which abound there, are 
very neatly and distinctly marked, till the first breath of wind 
drifting the sand erases the impressions. One of my children 
brought home a large lizard one day, and put it into a box, intend- 
ing to keep it as a pet; boys having strange tastes in the animals 
which they select as favourites. I remember that when I wasa 
boy at school, I was the owner of three living pets—a rat, a bat, 
and a snake, all of which lived and flourished for some months 
under my tender care, notwithstanding the occasional edicts sent 
forth from head-quarters against any living animal whatever 
being kept in the school-room. But to return to the lizard in 
the box. The next morning, to the children’s great delight, the 
lizard had become much reduced in circumference, but had pro- 
duced four young ones, who were apparently in full and vigorous 
enjoyment of life. Thev were voted. at a consultation of the 
children, to be entitled to, and worthy of liberty, and were all 
(mother and children) carefully put into the garden, in a sunny 
corner under the wall. For my own part, I can see nothing 
more disgusting 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 flori- 
cultural 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 do- 
mestic habits, the toad seldom seems to wander far from his 
