THE COMMON TOAD. 
161 
whereby it falleth into a cistern or vessel of water into which the Toad dareth not enter, by 
reason of the coldnesse of the water The probation of this Stone is by laying of it to a 
live Toad, and if she lift up her head against it, it is good, but if she run away from it, it is 
a counterfeit.” 
The same writer gives, in his own racy language, an account of the use to which even so 
venomous an animal as a Toad may be put by those who know how to employ the worst things 
for the best purposes. “ Frederic, the Duke of Saxony, was wont to practis in this manner. He 
had ever a Toad pierced through with a piece of wood, which Toad was dryed in the smoak or 
shadow, this he rowled in a linnen cloth ; and when he came to a man bleeding at the nose, he 
caused him to hold it fast in his hand until it waxed hot, and then would the blond be stayed. 
Whereof the Physitians could never give any reason, except horrour and fear constrained the 
bloud to run into his proper place, through fear of a Beast so contrary to humane nature. The 
powder also of a Toad is said to have the same vertue.” 
For these and other similar opinions too numerous for mention, there is some little founda- 
tion. The skin of the Toad’s back is covered thickly with little glands, and some larger glands 
are gathered into two sets, one at each side of the back of the head, and secrete a liquid sub- 
stance, with sufficient acridity to make the eyes smart should they be touched with this fluid, 
and to force a dog to loose his hold, if he should pick up a Toad in his mouth, and run away 
with open jaws and foaming mouth. The glands at the back of the head secrete a large quan- 
tity of liquid, and if pressed, will eject it in little streams to the distance of a few inches. 
In France, this poor creature is shamefully persecuted, the idea of its venomous and spite- 
ful nature being widely disseminated and deeply rooted. The popular notion is that the Toad 
is poisonous throughout its life, but that after the age of fifty years it acquires venomous 
fangs like those of the serpents. I once succeeded, but with great difficulty, in saving the life 
of a fine fat Toad that was leisurely strolling in the Forest of Meudon and had got into a rut 
too deep for escape. I had stooped down to remove the poor creature from danger, but was 
dragged away by the by-standers, who quite expected to see me mortally bitten, and who pro- 
ceeded to slaughter the Toad on the spot. “ Every one kills Toads in France,” said they. 
Hearing from them, however, that tobacco was instantaneously fatal to Toads, I made a 
compromise that they might kill it by putting tobacco on it, but in no other way. The 
experiment was accordingly tried, and I had the pleasure of seeing the creature walk away 
with the tobacco on its back, quite unconscious that it ought to have been dead. One of the 
spectators not only insisted upon the quinquegenarian fangs, but averred that he had a pair at 
home in a box. However, I never could induce him to show them to me. 
In point of fact, the Toad is a most useful animal, devouring all kinds of insect vermin, 
and making its rounds by night when the slugs, caterpillars, earwigs, and other creatures are 
abroad on their destructive mission. Many of the market-gardeners are so well aware of the 
extreme value of the Toad’s services, that they purchase Toads at a certain sum per dozen, and 
turn them out in their grounds. 
Dull and apathetic as the Toad may seem, it has in it an affectionate and observant nature, 
being tamed with wonderful ease, and soon learning to know its benefactors and to come at 
their call. Mr. Bell had one of these creatures, which was accustomed to sit on one hand and 
take its food out of the other. Many persons have possessed tame Toads, which would leave 
their hiding-place at the sound of a whistle or a call, and come hastily up to receive a fly, 
spider, or beetle. Toads can be rendered useful even in a house, for they will wage unceasing 
war against cockroaches, crickets, moths, flies, and other insect pests. 
It is worthy of notice, that the Toad will never catch an insect or any other prey as long as 
it is stationary, but on the slightest movement, the wonderful tongue is flung forward, picks 
up the fly on the tip, and returns to the throat, placing the morsel just in the spot where it 
can be seized by the muscles of the neck, and passed into the stomach. So rapidly is the act 
performed, that Mr. Bell has seen the sides of a Toad twitching convulsively from the struggles 
of a beetle just swallowed, and kicking vigorously in the stomach. 
Entomologists sometimes make a curious use of the Toad. Going into the fields soon 
after daybreak, they catch all the Toads they can find, kill them, and turn the contents of their 
vol. in.- 21. 
