Historic Cryptid Headline: August 21, 1895 - Virginia's Swelling Toad
The Eagle
August 21, 1895
“VIRGINIA’S SWELLING TOAD.”
A Queer Batrachian That Strongly Resembles a Fish.
The wonder of the genus batrachia and the greatest natural history oddity to be found along the Atlantic coast of the United States is the swelling toad, a semi-aquatic creature known to naturalists as bufomachalatus. It is occasionally met with from New York city to Jacksonville, Fla., but is most common along the coasts of Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina.
When in its natural state the “swell toad” is about the size of a large bullfrog, but looks more like a fish than it does like either a frog or a toad. He is about six inches in length and has the curious faculty of being able to swell to the size of a Yale football, in which state his legs, tail and head are scarcely visible. Irritation appears to be the chief factor in causing these curious creatures to inhale air until they swell almost to bursting. The bellies of both the males and females are nearly pure white and are covered with spines which give that portion of their anatomy the appearance of a well-ripened “jimpson” burr.
Persons who understand the “swell toad,” and know what an irritable little rascal he is, catch him and rub the spines on his belly until he swells up until he is utterly helpless. Another curious point about the creature is that as long as he is kept on his back he is unable to expel the air so as to reduce the swelling.
“Historic Cryptid Headlines” showcases actual articles involving cryptids that were published within United States newspapers back in the 1800s-1900s. The articles posted here are written exactly as they appeared during their original publishing date.
-The Pine Barrens Institute
The Minneapolis Journal
August 7, 1906
“Lake Ada Has A ‘Sarpint.’”
Mysterious Creature Seen on the Water by Pine River Men.
The Salt Lake Herald
March 25, 1899
“SEA SERPENT STORY.”
Two-Headed Hairy Monster That Weighed Seventy Tons.
The Daily Gate City and Constitution-Democrat
November 1, 1919
“SEA SERPENT IN LAKE KEOKUK.”
Fort Madison Citizens Insist That They Have Watched Monster Swimming Around and That It Is a Hard Looker.
The Evening World
September 18, 1922
“60-FT. MONSTERS RAID FISHERIES.”
Fishermen Scared Away After Narrow Escapes.
ST. JOHN’S, N.F., Sept. 18.
The Midland Journal
March 11, 1887
“The Wild Man Of Ohio.”
A Curious Creature Seen Among The Hills of Holmes County.
Wauwatosa News
September 17, 1909
“Fish With GooGoo Eyes.”
Same Being About the Size of Locomotive Headlights.
Iowa County Democrat
June 6, 1879
“The Lake Champlain Serpent.”
A Resident of Maquam Sees and Describes Him Minutely.
The Eagle
August 21, 1895
“VIRGINIA’S SWELLING TOAD.”
A Queer Batrachian That Strongly Resembles a Fish.
The Essex County Herald
August 22, 1879
“The Sea-Serpent’s Rival.”
A Reptile Thirty Feet Long and Probably Fifty Years Old - A Story Western Newspaper Readers are Asked to Believe.
Mineral Point Tribune
June 21, 1883
“Ohio Monster.”
A Beast or Reptile Which Startles the Good people of Ohio.
The Superior Times
August 11, 1906
“Snake Milked The Old Brindle Cow.”
Farmer Finally Discovers Mysterious Thief.
First Laid To Witchcraft.
But Finally Bossy and the Reptile Were Found Meeting by Appointment and Now the Latter Is No More.
Northern Wisconsin Advertiser
July 12, 1900
“Monster With Many Horns. Tall Story from Wisconsin”
The Logan Republican
September 18, 1907
“Bear Lake Monster Appears.”
Leviathan Comes from Lake and Devours Horse While Men Shoot At It.
The Saint Paul Daily Globe
September 30, 1890
“Bitten By A Vinegar Rone.”
Deadly Effect of a Sting of an Almost Unknown Creature.
The High Point Review
January 8, 1914
“Unknown To Science”
Strange Animals Believed To Exist In Africa.
Particulars Have Not Been Made Public, But Professors Of Natural History Are Inclined To Credit The Report.
The Washington Times
September 7, 1920
“Bather Fights Octopus With Knife As Weapon!”
Delaware Life Guard, Enveloped By Score Of Tentacles, Cuts His Way To Freedom.
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tags / historical headlines, new york city, jacksonville, virginia, maryland, north carolina, florida, toad, frog, blowfish
Richmond Indiana Palladium
August 11, 1838
“The Devil’s Lake.”