From The Frog Book:
Toads choose cool, moist places in which to live. They are often found in cellars, under porches and sidewalks, and in various dark or damp hiding-places. They seek such locations not only for the shelter, but also for the moisture. A toad never has the pleasure of drinking water in the usual way. All the water that he gets is absorbed through his skin. A toad kept in a dry place grows thinner and more distressed-looking, and is likely to die within a few days; whereas one provided with plenty of moisture remains plump and contented as the weeks go by, even when there is a scarcity of food.
It would, however, be a great mistake to think that a toad does not take pleasure in drinking. He sprawls out in shallow water or on a wet surface and has a contented expression in his wonderful eyes as he literally " soaks in " the water. In the country in midsummer, when pools and springs are dry, toads very often travel long distances to spend the night on the wet ground about a well of some sort.
Dickerson, Mary Cynthia. The Frog Book. New York, 1913. 78-9. Web. Google Book Search. 19 Aug 2009.
