(From an ox, and death). So called because it is death to any cattle which eat them. The toad; also called rubeta, rana rubeta. The toad is of the frog kind, and of the number of those animals which have only one ventricle in the heart. It is much like the frog, but its belly is more inflated, and skin more full of tubercles; it is of an ash colour, with brown, blackish, and yellow spots. It does not croak like the frog, but makes an indistinct noise that is obscure, and like the word geu, or rather bu, from which some suppose it is called bufo. It is said to have its name rubeta from rubus, because it is often found under bramble bushes.

There is a very poisonous species in America called cururu by the Brasilians, and capo by the Portuguese.

The common toad was first introduced into medicine from a cure being performed on an hydropic person, to whom powdered toads were given in order to despatch him, but he voided a large quantity of urine after taking them, and soon recovered of his disorder. Since this, toads, gently dried and powdered, have been used as a diuretic, but the present practice rejects them. They have also been applied alive to cancers to suck the virus, a method of extracting it said to be fatal to the animal; the plan is, however, disused, probably from its want of success.