410 
TORTOISE. 
toads of all colours are found in one and the same 
pool ; they are permanent differences having some 
other cause, and no doubt some particular use. 
TSads are troubled with intestinal worms according 
to my observations, but I am not aware that any 
author has hitherto remarked this. Early in spring 
the females produee their spawn, and subsequently 
to this, or about the middle of April the species is 
engaged in shedding the cuticle of the previous 
year. The “ Bull Frog” of countrymen is I believe 
an enlarged specimen of the common sort of toad; 
these bull frogs are reported to be of great size and 
as living under foundation stones of hedges &c. Mr. 
White in his History of Selborne shews that by 
plentiful and highly nutritive food, toads will attain 
to a great size. 
Toads come forth from hybernation in March, 
should the weather be propitious. 
Tortoise .—A curious fact in connexion with the 
torpor of this kind of animal, I became aware of 
whilst resident in London. An individual of a species 
with which I am not acquainted, was kept in the 
botanical garden of Guy’s hospital, and at the time 
I first noticed it, its tail was considerably bent 
sideways under the shell, and so firmly as to resist 
being drawn out again. As it was towards the 
hybernating season I suspected that the two cir¬ 
cumstances might be connected, and that probably 
this was a provision for the more perfect preserva¬ 
tion of every part of the creature during its subter¬ 
ranean repose, in the same way as the eyes are 
provided with a dense horny coverlid. On enquiring 
of the gardener, a respectable and intelligent indi¬ 
vidual, he assured me that this gradual and powerful 
retraction of the tail took place with regularity every 
autumn towards the time of its retreat into the 
earth. I subsequently noticed the same circumstance 
in other species. Another fact also somewhat 
