The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-09-20
The American Toad.

The following paper on the psychology
Of the American Toad was read ut the last
meeting Of the American Museum Of Nat
ural History in Central Park, New York !:
---In the summers Of 1s43-5 an old toad
used to sit under the door Of bee
hive every fine evening and dexterously
pick up those bees who, overladen or tired,
missed the doorstep and fell to the ground.
He lost by some accident an eye, and it
was observed by some members Of the
family as well as myself that be had with
It lost his ability to pick up bee at the
first trial-his tongue struck the gravel
one side the bee but after several weeks
practice with one eye he regained his old
certainty of aim. | have never seen our
toad raise his hands to crowd his food into
his mouth, as the European toads do, al
though he uses them freely to wipe out Of
his mouth any inedible or disagreeable
substance. When our toad gets into his
mouth part Of an insect too large for his
tongue to thrust down his throat land |
have known Of their attemptinga wound
ed humming-bird) he resorts to the near
ess stone ana presses the proTuding part
Of his mouthful against itand thus crowds
it down his throat. This can be observed
at any time by tying locust's hind legs
together and throwing 1t before small
'oau' un one occasion l gave yellow
s'ripeu LOCUST 70 nttie TOAD IN i.s second
summer, "hen !, was IN the middle oi a
very wiue grasei wax. IN q moment ne
,iau 'ne iocust , heaa down ms throat, It's
linuer parts prV'ruuIng' ana started Tor q
STONE or c,ou put nnuing none a. nand
- el'isr uirecllvn ne lowered ms nead ana
o.epe lohg, pushing 'ne locust against the
sIouhu' Du1 ene angie Wlth tne ground
wa WAS 700 sinall anu my wax 100 wen rolled.
IT, inI'ease 1,1 VIC ansie ne s'faisn'ene1 ms
n'nu y icss up, p.e ~ vala' a. ,englh ne
s snieS " nis ni,u quarters anu ac.uaily
.."a. a.o1u - nis nsIu, or ia.uer on 'he locust
9s'onin Iss =, ni' mouth, anu ai,er re-
Pe..: Peas th.s yree :. '~'ee su.ceeleu IN
se'..hs ~ n'nlsel oS'slde y ms alnnef: Dut
~ .le'e .. ,ns.a''oes ~ llsenious sosP'ae'on 70
,'a ,ae Ia nes .nsI :. VIZ sA9eeueu " iour
,-u;.'.. ai.O,I I;. .Vau . =. Au',Osn Oohe was
soaS's n'e oai'n worms nnhc diseing,
,.nu pleseI.i' I. snlew ,,. nm - iaise sPeci-
nna ep a,,1.' sns' ne NV, was og''geu - a'.ack one
e..oJ r y u. ao a,o, snd .as .I ,as'an'' s uans
;n r Saa " s III % an5 na;,aS s h. Jsu. emu WITH
hasd ~ a;,aI ~ 80, Ia =, aoUas .',e soeu
;nas ,,.ra h;", ~ oh..a ~ 'ne .,,'s mo. ~lr'n- ~
~ a.. G ,al;a,. ~ '"p"su an ~ ''':'i . A'i
n's;,aS I | g.. | 'has. up W." n's Jams,
hsle;aah [ pas - - " aae ~ an2slei 'e
;aahaa - 49, 80 s"ese ee .h nas y many n1': ~.
;aws orsw I'LL ,os. ,ha;. .sns.n sl'
III r. ,,orno ,a,s,a5 ~ ~. sma ;s s''P'
an an ;aoS het,soon 80" aaeh SI h",e ;nos sa,l, VI
inc Tho tosd norca;v;nn ~. ~avn hsan',h.
HE r;obt hand - IA h;s ;a,vs ~ ,.....,;o =
ahdo|sn Win n. coot a.S w. I;.,ii ~. -
gett;nc bold of tba wor,a r i H. 80 a ~ I
From tbe outside he ,,as 10 b;s sao, si LaId
CO. - IN. h. .s;. - "a Il 1. Ia III 10Y .,ls ne'u
and nrasaa.lr o .aoJas - s ..A..;s "ay"' ~
sorn, an,;raly 5s,.n - - ss1Is m s''e
ohsarvaa III. ,s",,o, 4. Nj. 49,. Ts' va
nnsb;ng ,aad dnwn H. .h.oa. M /, 1vn.as
1 . = N'' --s >-f~N-fe ~ Ae-'eititt1