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THE AMERICAN NATURALIST [Vol. XLIII 



they go further down, keeping a little below the frost 

 line. I have found no evidence that toads select places 

 in the fall and then proceed to bury themselves at once 

 to a depth of eighteen to twenty-four inches. 



Toads kept in a warm room do not have periods of 

 torpidity. Boulenger says that batrachians never go 

 into complete lethargy. The one in experiment no. IV 

 was never asleep and those in experiment no. Ill were 

 always wide awake and active when dug up. None of 

 them became sluggish. The female of experiment V 

 was, at times, during two periods seen with her eyes 

 closed, but at these times she was easily awakened by a 

 slight touch or a jar of the cage. At no time did she 

 appear to be more than napping. All of the toads kept 

 in my room fed throughout the winter, although eating 

 only a small quantity. The period of least activity was 

 from January 19 to February 19, when only one fed. 

 Three of these toads fed eagerly during April, May and 



There is no evidence that toads seal up their eyes, 

 mouth and nostrils as a preparation for hibernation. 

 Winter to the toad is only a long day, a suspension of 

 work, a sleep. He is ready to begin his daily routine 

 as soon as warmed up even in midwinter. 



Enemies of the Toad 



When we consider the number of eggs laid and find 

 that the number of toads does not increase, we are led 

 to ask the question. What are the forces that keep the 

 species in check? If we take the low figure of eight 

 thousand eggs for an average spawn, then all of these— 

 as well as all the eggs of the other spawns of a single 

 female— or the toads that develop from them, except two, 

 must meet a premature death in order that the species 

 may just hold its own. This seems to be what is taking 

 place with the toad. 



What happens to this multiple of eight thousand eggs 

 is partially known. There is no period from the laying 



