140 



COMMON TOAD. 



tail. It may be necessary to observe that it is 

 always covered by tubercles, or elevations on the 

 skin, of larger or smaller size in different indi- 

 viduals, and that the general colour of the animal 

 is an obscure brown above, much paler and irre- 

 gularly spotted beneath. The Toad, however, is 

 occasionally found of an olive cast, with darker 

 variegations ; and in some specimens, more espe- 

 cially in the earlier part of summer, the shoulders 

 and limbs are marked with reddish spots, while 

 a tinge of yellow often pervades the under parts 

 both of the limbs and body. 



The Toad arrives at a considerable age ; its ge- 

 neral term of life being supposed to extend to fif- 

 teen, or even twenty years ; and Mr. Pennant, in 

 his British Zoology, gives us a curious account, 

 communicated by a Mr. Arscott, of Tehott, in 

 Devonshire, of a Toad's having lived, in a kind 

 of domestic state, for the space of more than forty 

 3^ears, and of having been, in a great degree, 

 tamed, or reclaimed from its natural shyness or 

 desire of concealment ; since it would always re- 

 gularly come out of its hole at the approach of 

 its master, &c. in order to be fed. It grew to a 

 very large size, and was considered as so singular 

 a curiosity, that even ladies, laying aside their 

 usual aversion and prejudices, requested to see 

 the favourite Toad. It was, therefore, often 

 brought to table, and fed with various insects, 

 \vhich it seized with great celerity, and without 

 seeming to be embarrassed by the presence of com- 

 pany. This extraordinary animal generally re^ 



