THE YOUNG NATUEALXST. 



177 



however, the prey be a worm, the toad seizes it with widely-opened jaws, 

 and not with the tongue. It will not touch dead insects. The principal 

 food of the toad seems to be beetles, but it is likewise fond of other insects. 

 Beekeepers tell us that the gatherers of honey are often devoured by the 

 toad. 



The toad frequently changes its skin, previous to which it refuses food, but 

 makes up for it after the change. A clergyman in a letter to me on the habits 

 of reptiles thus speaks of the toad changing its skin. — " A few days ago I 

 was fortunate enough to see the operation of a toad castiug, or rather 

 changing its skin, and then swallowing it. I did not witness the first part 

 of the operation, but my little son did, and he called me to see it. I plainly 

 saw the skin of both the fore-legs drawn off like a stocking, and swallowed. 

 The outer skin was perfectly dry, but the new skin was quite shining with 

 moisture. The animal was so intent upon its occupation that it seemed to 

 take no notice of the three faces that were peering down not twelve inches 

 from it. The toad sucked, or rather snapped in its skin as it would a worm, 

 but there was no sign of mastication." 



Popular tradition attributes most venemous powers to this poor inoffensive 

 creature. In Berks, Oxon and other counties we are gravely assured, not 

 only by the ignorant rustic, but also by more educated people, that it is full 

 of fire and poison, that it spits fire, and that its venemous exhalations infects 

 the whole neighbourhood, even to the leaves of the tree under which it 

 burrows. It is hardly worth our while to refute these absurd statements. 



That the toad secretes a very poisonous humour, however, is a well-known 

 fact. See how quickly a dog will drop a toad after seizing it, and how its 

 mouth will froth. This poison is secreted in the warts or tubercles, with 

 which the skin of the toad is covered, and is a thick, fetid, yellowish-white 

 acid liquor.. If received into the blood through a cut or sore, this liquid 

 will, it is said, cause faintings, vomitings, and even death, but whether it is 

 quite so virulent as this, is, I believe, open to doubt. 



Again, the toad is looked upon with considerable faith in some rural 

 districts as a healer of certain diseases. I copy the following from the leading 

 journal. — " It is not long since that a " cunning man " used to hold an 

 annual levee in the neighbourhood of Stabbridge, when he sold out to crowds 

 that thronged round him the legs torn from the bodies of living toads, and 

 placed in a bag, which was wound round the neck of the patient, and counted 

 a sovereign remedy for scrofula, and the " overlooked " — . It was called 

 " Toad Pair." An infallible gipsy method of injuring an enemy is to procure 

 a toad, stick it all over with pins, and then with sundry incantations and 

 ceremonies bury it in the earth. I was once gravely assured by a country. 



