The Toad

The Toad

Leading thought—The toad is colored so that it resembles the soil and thus escapes the observation of its enemies. It lives in damp places and eats insects, usually hunting them at night. It has powerful hind legs and is a vigorous jumper.

Method—Make a moss garden in a glass aquarium jar thus: Place some stones or gravel in the bottom of the jar and cover with moss. Cover the jar with a wire screen. The moss should be deluged with water at least once a day and the jar should be placed where the direct sunlight will not reach it. In this jar, place the toad for study.

Observations—1. Describe the general color of the toad above and below. How does the toad’s back look? Of what use are the warts on its back?

2. Where is the toad usually found? Does it feel warm or cold to the hand? Is it slimy or dry? The toad is a cold-blooded animal, what does this mean?

3. Describe the eyes and explain how their situation is of special advantage to the toad. Do you think it can see in front and behind and above all at the same time? Does the bulge of the eyes help in this? Note the shape and color of the pupil and iris. How does the toad wink?

4. Find and describe the nostrils. Find and describe the ear. Note the swelling above and just back of the ear. Do you know the use of this?

5. What is the shape of the toad’s mouth? Has it any teeth? Is the toad’s tongue attached to the front or the back part of the mouth? How is it used to catch insects?

6. Describe the “arms and hands.” How many “fingers” on the “hand?” Which way do the fingers point when the toad is sitting down?

7. Describe the legs and feet. How many toes are there? What is the relative length of the toes and how are they connected? What is this web between the toes for? Why are the hind legs so much larger than the front legs?

8. Will a toad change color if placed upon different colored objects? How long does it take it to do this? Of what advantage is this to the toad?

9. Where does the toad live? When it is disturbed how does it act? How far can it jump? If very frightened does it flatten out and lie still? Why is this?

10. At what time does the toad come out to hunt insects? How does it catch the insect? Does it swallow an earthworm head or tail first? When swallowing an earthworm or large insect, how does it use its hands? How does it act when swallowing a large mouthful?

11. How does the toad drink? Where does it remain during the day? Describe how it burrows into the earth.

12. What happens to the toad in the winter? What does it do in the spring? Is it a good swimmer? How does it use its legs in swimming?

13. How does the toad look when croaking? What sort of a noise does it make?

14. Describe the action of the toad’s throat when breathing. Did you ever see a toad shed its skin?

15. What are the toad’s enemies? How does it act when caught by a snake? Does it make any noise? Is it swallowed head or tail first? What means has it of escaping or defending itself from its enemies?

16. How is the toad of great use to the farmer and gardener?

References—“The Life History of the Toad,” by S. H. Gage, Cornell Nature-Study Volume; The Frog Book, Dickerson.

Supplementary reading—“K’dunk, the fat one,” A Little Brother to the Bear, Long.

“In the early years we are not to teach nature as science, we are not to teach it primarily for method or for drill: we are to teach it for loving—and this is nature-study. On these points I make no compromise.” —L. H. Bailey.