The Writings of John Burroughs — Volume 05: PepactonBurroughs, John
History
The Writings of John Burroughs — Volume 05: Pepacton
Burroughs, John
Natural history -- Outdoor books
During the present season, I obtained additional proof of the fact
that the tree-toad hibernates on dry land. The 12th of November was
a warm, spring-like day; wind southwest, with slight rain in the
afternoon,--just the day to bring things out of their winter
retreats. As I was about to enter my door at dusk, my eye fell
upon what proved to be the large tree-toad in question, sitting on
some low stone-work at the foot of a terrace a few feet from the
house. I paused to observe his movements. Presently he started on
his travels across the yard toward the lawn in front. He leaped
about three feet at a time, with long pauses between each leap.
For fear of losing him as it grew darker, I captured him, and kept
him under the coal sieve till morning. He was very active at night
trying to escape. In the morning, I amused myself with him for
some time in the kitchen. I found he could adhere to a window-
pane, but could not ascend it; gradually his hold yielded, till he
sprang off on the casing. I observed that, in sitting upon the
floor or upon the ground, he avoided bringing his toes in contact
with the surface, as if they were too tender or delicate for such
coarse uses, but sat upon the hind part of his feet. Said toes had
a very bungling, awkward appearance at such times; they looked like
hands encased in gray woolen gloves much too large for them. Their
round, flattened ends, especially when not in use, had a comically
helpless look.
After a while I let my prisoner escape into the open air. The
weather had grown much colder, and there was a hint of coming
frost. The toad took the hint at once, and, after hopping a few
yards from the door to the edge of a grassy bank, began to prepare
for winter. It was a curious proceeding. He went into the ground
backward, elbowing himself through the turf with the sharp joints
of his hind legs, and going down in a spiral manner. His progress
was very slow: at night I could still see him by lifting the grass;
and as the weather changed again to warm, with southerly winds
before morning, he stopped digging entirely. The next day I took
him out, and put him into a bottomless tub sunk into the ground and
filled with soft earth, leaves, and leaf mould, where he passed the
winter safely, and came out fresh and bright in the spring.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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