The Natterjack Toad in Ireland. 231 



" Oh ! surely not/' he answered, but on reflection added, "by 

 the bye, there must be, for I have seen a whole boat's crew 

 of them." He directed me to a place where I might hear of 

 them, and after some inquiries I made them out in Dublin at 

 No. 20, Molesworth Street. 



What a sight, to be sure, with the subject of the natterjack 

 toad in my thoughts ! There I saw no less than forty-five of 

 these creatures, cleverly stuffed, mounted in a case containing 

 a well modelled sea, with boats and background ; the toads 

 being employed as the dramatis jpersonce in a species of marine 

 entertainment or regatta. I confess to having felt a qualm 

 of sorrow at first seeing them, similar to that with which the 

 "Wurtemburg animals" inspired me in 1851, and especially 

 the comic frogs, which seemed to me to quote Esop, and say, 

 " It is sport to you, but it is death to us," while I felt inclined 

 to answer, " It is not sport to me ; I like you better alive and 

 well ;" but this feeling got over, how interesting to observe the 

 peculiar " mesial stripe " of the natterjack, displayed on every 

 broad back; and how forcibly the abundance in which these 

 creatures are found is set forth by the numbers here congregated, 

 varying from about half-an-inch in breadth to dimensions sur- 

 passing those of a full-grown frog. The group belongs to Sir 

 James Dombrain, and the toads, as I afterwards ascertained, 

 were prepared by Mr. Ross Townsend, who rightly judged that 

 this mode of presenting them to view was likely to attract 

 notice to the fact of their occurrence in Ireland. 



One of my friends kindly wrote to him, at my request, for 

 some information ; this he gave fully in reply, and I shall pre- 

 sently transcribe it from his letters. I have prepared the little 

 map (see coloured plate) especially to illustrate Mr. Townsend' s 

 remarks. It is taken from the " General Map of Ireland [scale 

 four miles to an inch] to accompany the report of the Railway 

 Commissioners, showing the principal physical features and 

 geological structure of the country." These particulars, even 

 to the depth of the water in and near Castlemaine harbour, 

 I have copied with a view of presenting as much as possible 

 to the eye. 



" You will perceive," writes Mr. Townsend," that the har- 

 bour [of Castlemaine] is formed inside the bar by Rosbegh 

 Point on the south side, and by Inch Point on tho north. In 

 the circle of this harbour, from Inch Point on the north, round 

 to Rosbegh Point on the south, passing Lack, Castlemaine, 

 Milltown, Killorglin and Cromane, in all these places toads 

 are to be found in great abundance. The soil is generally of 

 a light turf mould, or sand marsh ; in both of these they 

 delight to keep, as the soil is easily penetrated, and they can 

 get covering for themselves in the winter." Mr. Townsend goes 



