128 



THE YOUNG 



NATURALIST. 



mentioned, being a little more than an inch 

 in length. On another occasion, I found 

 five large and one small natterjack under a 

 stone, and when they were disturbed they 

 began marching off as fast as possible, two 

 in particular, running one after another 

 towards the pools which they entered, and 

 sitting with their heads poked above the 

 surface. 



The natterjack is a great traveller, and in 

 its perigrinations will surmount any reason- 

 able obstacle, it being a good climber. 



This toad has been known to feign death 

 when in danger, and is said to give out " a 

 strong sulphury odour " when in a state of 

 excitement. Of the truth of this latter 

 statement I cannot speak from personal 

 knowledge, the reason, perhaps, being that 

 I have never irritated the poor creatures 

 sufficiently to cause them to give out the 

 odour. 



The food of the natterjack consists of 

 insects. In confinement it will eat strips of 

 raw meat, probably mistaking them for 

 worms ; and in the ninth volume of Science 

 Gossip, an anecdote is related of a natterjack 

 in a fernery, which gulped down a snake 

 eight inches in length, thus proving the 

 reptile to be of a very voracious disposition. 



The vocal powers of the natterjack are by 

 no means limited. It seems to have two 

 notes, one a hoarse croak or rather a crawk ! 

 crawk ! crawk ! heard during the evening, 

 and at the approach of rain ; and the other 

 a succession of short notes, cuk ! cuk / cuk ! 

 heard principally when the creature is 

 alarmed or suddenly disturbed. I remember 

 finding a good-sized natterjack, crouching 

 in an exposed burrow, under a stone, and at 

 the same time heard a curious croaking, 

 but where it came from I could not tell. 

 It seemed to be of a ventriloquial character, 

 now sounding close by, and then a little 

 distance off. At length I found it proceeded 

 from another natterjack, which was buried 



an inch or two behind the other, and com- 

 pletely hid from view, I quickly unearthed 

 him, when off he ran, uttering his singular 

 croak. In the evenings of May and June, 

 when engaged in breeding, the hoarse croak- 

 ing of a colony of natterjacks is by no 

 means one of the most pleasing of country 

 sounds. On still nights this rural concert 

 may be heard a long distance away. 



Of the hybernation of the natterjack I 

 know nothing, but should think it similar 

 to that of the other batrachia ; when it first 

 appears it is generally a poor, dull, lethargic 

 reptile. 



The natterjack when full grown is rather 

 under three inches in length. Its skin like 

 that of the common species is covered with 

 pimples and warts, which are of a reddish 

 colour. The colour above is olive or green- 

 ish, and having a bright yellow line down 

 the middle of the back. The underside is 

 whitish, spotted with black, and the legs 

 and thighs are barred with the same. The 

 eye, as I have noted in certain light, is of a 

 brilliant ruby-red. The natterjack seldom 

 varies in colour, I once met with one, how- 

 ever, on the heath so often referred to, of a 

 very dark colour, indeed almost black. The 

 sulphur-coloured line down the back, which 

 as far as I know is always present, easily 

 distinguishes the natterjack from every 

 other British reptile. 



Insects Feeding on Stitchwort. — The 

 only insects I know whose larvae feed on 

 stitchwort are :— 



Gel. tricolorella, b. of April. 



Col. solitariella, h. May. 



Gel. fratemiella, May (shoots of Uliginosus). 



Gel. maculea, May, e. (shoots and seeds of 

 Holostea).- S. L. M. 



