American Museum of‘Natural History. 
MIDWIFE TOAD WITH EGGS (Alytes obstetricans). Length: 3 inches. Range: 
France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, western Germany and southeastern Holland. 
to be a reminder of the toad’s poisonous secretions which cause internal 
disorders when swallowed. 
If danger threatens, this four-inch toad hastily flaunts the lurid red of 
its belly by raising its head, arching its back and then posing in absolute 
rigidity. Most small animals become momentarily paralyzed at the sight 
of a larger foe, permitting the larger creature to administer a swift coup 
de grace. But the immobility of this water toad is a protective device, 
granting an attacker ample opportunity to see the reddish color, symbolic 
of its poisonous nature. 
In contrast to the gaudy underparts, the toad’s back is somberly col¬ 
ored in dark gray or greenish black. During the mating season the male, 
which can readily inflate its throat, is moved to sad song. 
The fire-bellied toad is usually found in large lowland pools through¬ 
out northern Europe, but it has a counterpart in South China. Another 
close relative, the yellow-bellied toad inhabiting the highlands of southern 
Europe, differs only in color and the absence of the males’ vocal sacs. 
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