MEPHITIC TOAD. 



151 



creature is kept, will, according to Roesel, be per* 

 ceivecl two months afterwards 



To this species of Toad the following singular 

 narrative, recorded by Boerhaave, may be sup- 

 posed to refer : 



I lately read a wonderful history relative to 

 the efficacy of odours. Two mountebanks con- 

 tending for the preference of their Orvietan or an- 

 tidote, had a promise from the magistrate of a 

 licence or privilege to him whose antidote ap- 

 peared by experiment to perform the most. The 

 trial was therefore begun by taking poisons them- 

 selves. The first day each took the poison from his 

 adversary, and each used his particular Orvietan 

 or antidote ; nor did the one or the other suffer 

 any injury. On the next day, when they re- 

 turned to their former calling, without any mani- 

 fest hurt, the one told his adversary that he ought 

 not any longer to co-ntend with him, for that he 

 had a kind of poison which resisted the efficacy 

 of any antidote ; but the other intrepidly defied 

 him, and denied the fact. A drum was therefore 

 brought, which was continually beat with sticks, 

 and his adversary ordered to draw air from thence 

 through his nose ; to which he rashly consented, 

 and immediately perished ; for his more crafty ad- 



* This is the less surprising, when we consider the effect of se- 

 veral other animal odours. The caterpillar of the Phalasna Cossus 

 or Goat Moth, if kept, when full grown, in a chamber, for a short 

 time, will have the same effect, and even a tin box in which it has 

 been confined for some time, will retain the disagreeable odour 

 for several months. 



