New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-05
4 DIVERSE Lot or PETS.
ALI. WENT WELL WITH THE HORNED TOAD
AND SNAKES UNTIL THE OWL
CAME AROUND.

horned toad s. certainly a queer pet. and yet
a woman has obtained much instructive pleasure
out Of one Of these strange little animals The
fac, Is tina, the horned toad Is not a toad a. al
iut lizard covered with lizard scales Just why
this particular species should have acquired the
name Of toad IS not known. but # Is generally
called by that name.
This curious little animal lives. when Al rs native
home in the southwestern part OF this country.
west 81 the Mississippi, IN the sandy districts. II
grows sometimes 20 be nearly foot long and over
four inches across the middle Of the back IT, sur
face IS rough and covered with scales and horny
projections
II is fond OF the sand and will burrow down
into Il until entirely covered u does not Ike TO
be confined. especially by string around it's neck,
as IT'S mistress tried 10 do one day. The little fell
low worked away 81 the string. and pulled away
and tangled Il up until If almos; choked 10 death.
Then "a wire netting was erected bat the toad
which was named ella by the way from JUS native
home on The ella Rver-climbed over the netting.
| Then strip Of board was put around me top and
some reason ella did scale the board
but contcntcd himself within his little premises
When he lived al home av ay out on the prairies
dog CHA mistress had small family 81 prairie
dogs also. hut had forgotten this historical fact
ana when one OF he dogs burrowcd under ella S
fence day AN hands rushed needessly TO The
flc dogs were merely renewing fond and old ac-
GIaintance. the division fence between the two .n
closures was takn down and the toad and dogs lived
This incident reminded elias mistress Of Other
Western animals and she az once determined ~
gather together little 700 Of her own and have
a reunion Of Western animals. Reading mp oi
natural history 1t discovered that rattle
snakes would he agreeable addition 10 tho
family but the mistress herself objected 70 q col
lection OF raftlers. and so she substituted VA
adders as less harmful also one big streakeo
snake II was soon discovered that n was probably
81 matter Of size which saved the dogs and ella ron
heirr eaten up for a common little dooryard toad
which ventured into the Enclosure. was quickly eop
'' To make the family OF burroWing animals mor'
complee ella mistress tried to obtain burroV1n
owl b, In this she disappointed so she tried
naive owl with clipped wings and the same tins
added two cats a rsccoon. small turtle and a IN
lie PUPPY OF domestic breed All went well th'
first day But early IN the morning OF the mex
day II was discovered that the ON hao mace
night OF IL and tried eat up the lot. helped OUT
hy the coon There were no signs OF the adoers
and the big snake manglec by the OWL There
we're marks on the turtles shell showing That the
coon had tried 10 eat him. and the rest or me
family had burrowed deep into the SAND for safety
This experience put an end 70 The phiiantnropl6
motives Of elias mistress IN providing him WIN
company and no more attempts were made but ne
was left 20 the agreeable society Of the dogs