THE AMERICAN TOAD (BUFO LENTIGINOSES 

 AMEKECANUS, LeCONTE). II 



A Study in Dynamic Biology 

 NEWTON MILLER 

 Clark University 



Hibernation 



Little is known about the toad during the winter. An 

 anonymous article in Cornhill states that toads go down 

 in the mud by ponds and become encysted in balls of clay. 

 Allen is of the same opinion. More recently Gage says 

 lie thinks they go into the ground for hibernation and not 

 under boards, stones, etc., as supposed. Toads were 

 found under leaves in March, 1895, by Kirkland, who also 

 states that they 1 1 do not hibernate singly, as a rule and it 

 is not an uncommon thing to find in winter or spring a 

 dozen or more closely packed together under a rock, 

 board or in some other sheltered spot." Various indi- 

 viduals tell me that they have ploughed up toads in the 

 fields or dug them up in gardens or flower beds in the 

 spring. There is little doubt that in this latitude they 

 normally pass the winter in the ground. 



Toads bury themselves for the winter or often for the 

 day in loose earth. To do this they always go down 

 backwards. With a forward lateral movement of the hind 

 feet the earth is pushed out and to either side and the 

 body forced into the hole by the front legs. The loose 

 earth falls over the head as the toad descends, thereby 

 filling the burrow. In this way little trace is left to tell 

 of the whereabouts of the toad. 



It is probable that those found under leaves, etc., in 

 early spring had emerged from winter quarters during a 

 warm spell and had taken temporary refuge in such places. 

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