ZOOLOGY. 625 



that they were quite simihir to those of the bats — smooth and contrac- 

 tile into folds. The tail of the type in question, at least at and near its 

 extremity, " supported a vertical membrane developed above as well as 

 below, and having a rhomboid or leaf-like outline." 



Professor Marsh has also discussed the homologies of the wing or 

 manus bones of the Pterodactyles, and reached the conclusions that 

 " there are five digits in the hand of Pterodactyles, although not the five 

 often given in restorations. The first digit, the elements of which have 

 been considered, undoubtedly supported a membrane in front of the 

 arm. The second, third, and fourth are small, and armed with claws. 

 The large wing finger is the fifth, corresponding to the little finger in- 

 the human hand." (A.. J. S., (3,) v. 23, pp. 251-256.) 



A poisonous Lizard. 



A large lizard of an orange and black color with a skin tuberculated 

 or covered with scales, simulating the heads of nails, and hence called 

 Helodenna, is a common inhabitant of Arizona. It is dreaded by the 

 inhabitants of the Territory and deemed by them to be poisonous. The 

 allegations to that effect, however, have been doubted by naturalists, 

 because none of the lizards had been acknowledged to be venomous. 

 Reloderma differs from other lizards, however, in having grooved teeth 

 and the efferent ducts of the salivary glands discharging at the bases of 

 the grooves. The best-informed heri^etologists have therefore acknowl- 

 edged the possibility, if not probability, of the truth of the popular be- 

 lief, and Professor Cope years ago named the Arizonian Heloderma, H. 

 suspectum, with reference to the bad reputation of the animal. Eecent 

 experiments and the personal experience of Dr. E. W. Shufeldt have 

 demonstrated the correctness of the belief as to the poisonous character 

 of the lizard, and we have now the certainty that the representatives of 

 one type of lizard — the family of Helodermids with one genus and two 

 species — are venomous. Dr. Shufeldt has recorded the effects of a bite, 

 which was immediately attended with violent inflammation, in the 

 American Naturalist for November, J 882 (v. 16, pp. 907,908). 



General. 



Gobin(A.). Traits des oiseaux de basee-cour, d'agr^raent et de produit. 2 6d. Paris, 

 Plon & Cie., 1882. (ISmo., viii. 447 p., 93 fig. Frcs. 3. 50.) 



Journals. 



Bulletin of the Niattall Ornithological Club. Vol. 7. Cambridge, Mass., 1882. (8vo.) 

 Ibis (The), a Quarterly Journal of Ornithology. Edited by O. Salvin and Ph. L. 



Sclater. 4 series, vol. 6. London, J. Van Voorst, 1882. (8vo.) 

 Journal fiir Ornithologie. Deutsches Centralorgan fiir die gesammten Omithologie. 



Herausgegebenvon J. Cabanis. 30. Jahrg. (4 Folge, 10. Bd.) Leipzig, Kittler, 



1882. (8vo.) 



H. Mis. 26 40 



