a curved yellow line extending backward from each eye. The undersides are 
a dingy white, turning purplish at the posterior parts. This lonely animal 
is found throughout all of eastern North America. 
A Central European relative acts much the same, but burrows in sandy 
soil, leaving no trace of its work since the loose sand fills up the hole as it 
digs. Some specimens are adorned with red spots. 
When captured, it utters a shrill, startling cry and the skin is quickly 
covered with a secretion smelling like garlic. Consequently, in Germany, 
it is known as “garlic toad.” Tame individuals soon learn enough manners 
to stop emitting the offensive fluid. 
TRUE TOADS 
“Sweet are the uses of adversity, 
Which like the toad, ugly and venomous, 
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head.” 
COMMON TOAD 
The hoptoad, with sparkling eyes of gold and black, is the best known 
toad in the United States. The beauty of its jewel-like orbs, a toad char¬ 
acteristic immortalized by Shakespeare, is more than balanced by its dark, 
unattractive body, covered with warts. But it must be said in all fairness 
that this maligned animal keeps its warts and does not, under any cir¬ 
cumstances, pass them on to boys who play with toads. 
A discriminating eater, it will feed only upon moving things. Thus 
it is probably the most useful of all frogs and toads since it hops about 
farm lands and gardens, destroying such pests as ants, potato bugs and 
worms. 
It is protected by a changing coloration, the ability to “play ’possum” 
rather convincingly, and the secretion of a milky fluid irritating to the 
mucous membranes of man and other animals. 
Records show that at least one of these olive-green toads has lived 
to the ripe old age of thirty-six. 
232 
