The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-08-30
Horned TOads aud other Natural
hNondeYv.


Wonders,
A friehd of DR.. B. S. Erwin, Of Msuch
Chunk, recently sent him as present from
Colorado, live specimen of the horned
toad. The fact being roticed by one of our
local cotemporaries, reminded Capt. Solo
man Yealiel, of Wiessport, that He has in
his natural history collection two preserved
specimens OF this rare little batrpchian rep
tile. Consequently; he broHght " tile Abtos
oAfs office, last Saturday, this collection;
Where they may be seen by all who desire.
The large glass jar in which they are
pfeseryedJ also contains two varieties of the
lizard flihily, large tefahtula OF Venom
Gus spider,a worth II the centrepede species,
and three long,slender many colored snakes.
This valuable collection was made in Edo
RADIO county, California, in 1889 by Captain
Yeakel himself; and though they have thus
been preserved in alcohol for twenty-six
years, are as perfect as ie. The collection
is not more valuable for its rarity than it is
commendable for the careful ind skillful
ihanner of its arrangement in the jar.
This species of the horned toad found in
the south Atlantic and Pdclhc StatesJ is,
apparently, link between the t6tiihon
hop-toad and the lizsafd Its head Is cir.
cled around with several horn-like prutu.
berances from half to three foHrths Of an
inch in length, while similar but shorter
horhs, in regular rows, extend over its back
to the end of its tail. 1t is oviparous, feeds
Upon insects, is inofiensive, and has habits
common to both the toad and lizard, yet
more of the latter than the forrfiuti 1t is
called toad, perhaps, principally on ac-
count of its uninvitiug and even hiieous
aspect,a distinctive characteristico the toad,
which has caused it to be loathtd and even
Stunned in all ages, and to be regarded by
the superstitious with awe,
ain those hgdhizng, cruel slavery days."
in the South, the colored "conjurer" made
extensive use of the toad as curative agent
in the shape Of poltlce, for numerous aches
and bodily infrmites and their unbound
ed faith in the remedy gave it an efficacy
that made the learned disciple Of Esculal
plus smile yet wonder.
The toad is not venomous, although its
reputation as poisonous reptile obtained
for it among the supersttious preterhatural
powers, and dealers in magic and witchcraft
pounds. This caused Shakespeare to insert
it among the ingredients adopted by the
witches in Macbeth to raise the Spirits of
the dead
"Toad that Under the cold stone,
Days and nights has thirty-One
Sweltered venom, sleeping got,
Boil thou first i tn charmd pot"
No one writer on natural history has at
tempted to destribe the multitudinous vari-
cites of the toad. Iii the south and tropical
climates its name is legion, each bearing a
local name describing some physical pecu-
liarity, of coler, shape or size. In eastern
Caroiinas, there is found a brindle, little
hop-toad called the "horny-head." Its
head resembles the specimens Of Captain
Yeakel's and DR.. Erwin's, but has no caudle
appendaSe. 1t affiliates with the other va
reties, hops about the farmhouse and barn
yard in the twilight, and with his lightning
tongue licks up the unlucky bug or other
insect for which he has q very shewd and
lecherous eye. All the varieties are valua-
BILE insect destroyers, but in their turn fall
victims to bevy of enemies. Fishes prey
upon the tadpole; and no sooner does the
full -hedged toad set foot upon terra hrnta
than he is met by reptile, bird and animal,
each anxious to take a little toad fbr "the
stomach S sake"
The toad is distinct and typical genera in
the animal creation, is found almost every
where, and is one of natures most wonder
ful productions He freezes to an icicle in the
frigid winters of the north but the return
ing genial sunshine of spring infuses new
lie into him, and in July we find him
watching and catching house flies around
the door steps,as happy as a lark with which
bird the superstitous accuse him of chang
ing eyes. He is known to be o feeder, yet
lives indefinitely without food. There is,
apparently no title dll5tted for his life he
lives until some unfortunate circumstance
puts an end to his existence. 1t is authenkic
history that iiatbls worker Ohce fouhd a
living toad in block of marble, in a cavity
just large enough for his body. 1t is fire.
quently found imprisoned in the trunk Of
a tree, which must have been its home for
generations, and care assured that miners
sometimes find them in a state of glorious
ease, hundreds of feet under ground without
an inch of elbow-room afodhd them.
As we have found toad type merged into
the lizard so it will be found in other low
orders of animal life. Along the shores OF
the Pamlico sound, and perhaps other south
Atlantic ihlahd waters, there is a singular
genus called the toadfsh. In appearance il
is hybrid between the catfish and toad
1t is in every sense loathsome creature
and Stunned even by its finny neighbors
When an angler casts his hook and captures
toadfsh, he takes it as an omen of i'll luck
and not without good Gause-for other small
fish Will not knowingly trespass upon the
ieeding-g ground OF toanfsh. II is raven
ously voracious, and so pugnacitus when
captured; it is necessary to kill it before il
can be unlocked. We once saw a large
one caught which had in its smaw ten soung
mullets, besides some miscellaneous food
and yet its appetite was unsAted, as was
shown by its eagerness to gorge the bate that
led 10 its destruction.
The other specimens id Captain Yeakel'a
, collection are unusual in this localityj and
will all prove interesting objects to the lover
of natural history The terantula is an ex-
ira large one and this variety of the spider
is not only extremely posonousj the bite
causing much pain and sotiietiunss death
but it is subtlely vciousj sometimes secret
ing itself during the day Ill sleeping apart
ments, and after DARK crawls upon and bites
its victim While asleep.
. The company Of military Cadets re-
Gently organized here, are making com
mendable headway in the proficiency of the