1aking a nap 
Jack and Jill taking a bath. Jack has just molted 
“Hop-toads” 
Some of their Useful and Characteristic Qualities 
]^Y ELLA M. 15 LALS 
O to the ant, thou sluggard,” was Solo- 
t "T moil’s dictum. One may find profit 
and pleasure in studying any of the 
common forms of animal life, hut few offer a more 
attractive field than the common toad. 
Lor many years we have made a practice of hring- 
ing home the toads that we found in any place where 
they might get injured. We have found them to he 
interesting little creatures, and of the greatest value 
in keeping the garden comparatively clear of insects. 
When people say “ How nice your plants look, how 
do you keep the hugs away we answer, “ It’s all 
hecause there are so many toads in the yard.” 
The person who has never watched a toad feeding 
will hardly helieve that a creature so small can con¬ 
sume such an enormous quantity of food. We have 
Pluto, fMiny and a baby toad 
seen one eat thirty-eight currant worms in half an 
hour. "Lliis was in the morning after the toad had 
prohahly heen feeding all night. It has been found 
that in every twenty-four hours a toad consumes a 
(juantity of insect food equal to four times its 
stomach capacity. Only living insects are devoured: 
hugs, snails, centipedes, caterpillars, cut-worms; 
truly “All is grist that comes to their mill.” 
\Ve have provided artificial shelters by laying 
down short pieces of hoard with the ends raised on 
stones or bricks. On hot days the arch beneath 
the boards will he full of toads that have sought a 
refuge from the heat of the sun. Cooler weather 
finds them in the rose-bed near by, for they seem to 
know that there are always some insects near a rose 
hush. I'he sun leaves the bushes about five o’clock 
jumbo climbing into my band 
88 
