Ol' Rip the Horned Toad Ol' Rip the Horned Toad Ol' Rip (died January 19, 1929) was a horned lizard (commonly referred to as a "horned toad" or "horny toad") whose supposed 31-year hibernation as an entombed animal is believed by some and doubted by others. His name is a reference to the fictional character Rip Van Winkle. In 1897, a horned lizard was placed in a cornerstone of the Eastland County Courthouse in Eastland, Texas along with other time capsule memorabilia. When the courthouse was torn down 31 years later, the cornerstone was opened on February 18, 1928, a live horned lizard was produced,
American toad American toad The American toad ("Anaxyrus americanus") is a common species of toad found throughout the eastern United States and Canada. It is divided into three subspecies—the eastern American toad ("A. a. americanus"), the dwarf American toad ("A. a. charlesmithi"), and the rare Hudson Bay toad ("A. a. copei"). Recent taxonomic treatments place this species in the genus "Anaxyrus" instead of "Bufo". The eggs of the American toad are laid in two strings and can hatch in 2–14 days. When hatched the tadpoles are recognizable by their skinny tails in relation to the size of their black bodies. They may