accounts of the whole
phenomenon: and, to convince me of the truth of his statement, he took
me to the quarry (a carboniferous sandstone) that I might see the stones
out of which he said the Toads had been released. I examined the stones
and the whole quarry very attentively, and listened to the emphatic
testimony of other miners present. After complying in an agreeable
manner to their remark that the day was warm, and the water of the
quarry not much in favour, I made a simple proposal of this nature:--I
promised to pay to any one of them the sum of twenty shillings for the
next stone in which they found a Frog or Toad when the stone was broken
in two. They should catch the Frog if he bolted out of the hole, replace
him, and fit the stones together again, afterwards despatching it to me
in that condition. I further promised to pay the sum of forty shillings
to any one of them who should procure me a stone, unbroken, in which he
considered a Toad or Frog was imprisoned, if, on breaking it myself,
such turned out to be the case. These conditions were to remain in force
for twelve months; and as the means of conveyance to my address, which I
gave them, would occasion little or no trouble, the offer was readily
accepted by the miners; who also, to express their confidence in soon
being able to supply the order, proposed that it would be all safe if I
advanced a little cash on account; which however I resolutely declined
doing. And now what will the credulous believers in these 'Toads in
stone' who read the _Zoologist_ say, when they learn that I visited the
quarry twice during the twelve months, in order to fetch the Toads
which never came by rail? I always found the men there blasting tons of
new rock, splitting stones for every building purpose, yet dry-throated
and sullen; for, alas! most unaccountably during that long twelve months
they found plenty of holes--not Toad holes--in the sandstone, but the
reptiles had been banished as effectually as ever they were from the
Emerald Isle."[101]

[Illustration: TOAD IN A HOLE.]

This was disheartening, certainly: and we do not wonder that Mr Plant
became "a total disbeliever in these 'simple tales.'" Still, it is just
possible, that immured Toads may exist, though Mikey of the Chesterfield
quarry, in hope of the advance, did brag a little too confidently of the
commonness of the occurrence. That, within one twelvemonth, within the
limits of one quarry, no such Toad turned up