40 
SIR PETER BADE ON “ MY CITY GARDEN.” 
of them in my study or other room, sitting up in a corner, looking 
happy and comfortable, and quietly staring at me with its bright 
eyes, as if I were the real intruder. 
The direction of my rooms from the garden is from south to 
north. I do not know if this was possibly expressive of any 
migratory instinct. 
Like the Frogs, of a number of Toads which I introduced into 
my garden, only three or four remained in the following year ; 
and soon all disappeared, except one, whose end was peculiar 
and of dramatic interest. It occurred in this way : A neighbour 
kept in his adjacent garden some other reptiles, namely, some 
non-poisonous snakes. One of these seems to have escaped from 
its cage and got over the dividing wall into my garden, and on one 
summer morning was discovered by me on my grass-plot, with this 
Toad (about a half-grown one) in his mouth, which he was trying to 
kill or swallow. I suppose the 'l oad was too large or too lively, for the 
snake was making very serious exertions, and was actively agitating 
its body in a linear direction. When seen at a distance, it looked 
like a stout piece of cord or fine rope agitated by the wind, with 
a movement like that of a carpet when it is flapped and shaken. 
The Toad had been seized by the hinder part of its back, as shown 
by the two bleeding punctures afterwards found. 
When the snake saw me advancing towards it, it rapidly wriggled 
or undulated away towards the ivy-covered wall, where it was lost. 
But it retained its hold of the Toad almost to the last, and until 
I had got quite close up to it. 
This incident is not only interesting, but it also shows that 
these reptiles must have some instinctive power of knowing of the 
neighbourhood of comparatively distant prey ; for the rockery stones 
from which it was taken must have been at least thirty to forty 
yards from its own domicile. Such an instinct would seem to be 
the equivalent of that well known to be possessed by birds of prey. 
I regret that this poor Toad did not long survive his fright and 
bad usage. 
My Toads have exhibited the usual tendency of these animals to 
hide away beneath stones or earth, and in unfrequented corners. 
When discovered it is curious to watch their half-frightened 
expression, and their peculiar mode of breathing by their under 
jaw, which appears at once to increase in rapidity. They do not 
