_THE FRIENDLY TOAD._
[Illustration]
1. The toad, which we find in our gardens and yards slowly crawling
about, or making short hops, is a cousin of the frog, and is made very
much like him.
2. The frog has a smooth skin; but the skin of the toad is thick, and
is covered with warts. It has a larger mouth than the frog, and, on
the whole, it can not be called handsome.
3. The toad, like the frog, is usually born in the water, and is at
first a tadpole. When it loses its gills and tail, it comes out of the
water and lives upon the land, until it goes into the water again in
the spring to lay its eggs.
4. Sometimes the toad can not reach the water at the proper time, and
then the tadpole changes to a perfect toad soon after it is hatched.
5. The toad feeds on insects, and is very useful about the garden, as
it picks off the grubs and beetles that destroy the fruit and flowers.
6. It eats only living insects, and it never chases its prey. It will
sit motionless until a fly or other insect comes within reach, and
then it darts out its tongue so rapidly that the little victim can not
escape.
7. It swallows its food whole. When it seizes a worm, it crams fold
after fold into its mouth with its fore feet, and, when all is in, it
gives one great gulp, and the worm disappears down the wide throat.
The toad sleeps in some hole, or out-of-the-way place, during the day;
but it comes out about sunset and searches for food all night.
8. Every few months the toad gets a new coat. Its old skin gets hard
and dry, and cracks open on the back, showing a new skin under it.
Then the toad pulls his head out, and pushes the old skin off his body
and legs. When he has got it all off, he rolls it up into a ball and
swallows it.
9. Toads live thirty or forty years, and often become quite tame. They
will come at a call, and they seem to enjoy a gentle scratching. When
held by the legs, they will catch the flies brought within their reach
as readily as when at liberty.