Heloderma (Genus) 

 42. Heloderma suspectum Cope. 



GILA MONSTER. 

 This, with its Mexican relative, H. horridum 

 Weig., is the only known poisonous lizard in the 

 world. The teeth of the lower jaw are grooved, 

 and each is connected with an efferent duct com- 

 municating with a poison gland. The virulence 

 of the poison is not as great as that of the poison- 

 ous snakes, but the animal can inflict a dangerous 

 wound. In captivity, the Gila Monster is gentle 

 and sluggish, and may be freely and unceremon- 

 iously handled. Very little is known of its food or 

 habits in Nature, but its method of eating in cap- 

 tivity, which we have recently had the opportunity 

 of observing, is very interesting. 



An egg is placed in a flat dish in the lizard's 

 cage. The Heloderma immediately approaches 

 this receptacle and begins to lap up the egg with 

 its fleshy tongue. It continues doing this very 

 quietly for about ten minutes. Then it lifts its 

 head into the air until its snout is cilmost perpen- 

 dicular to the body, and permits the egg to run 

 down its throat. The process is repeated until the 

 dish is empty. The Gila Monster thrived for some 

 time on this diet, but refused food when the cool 

 weather set in. A short time before it died it was 

 heard to give vent to a short cough on several oc- 

 caisions. The cast exhibited was prepared by 

 Charles Dury, noted entomologist and taxidermist. 



TEIIDAE (Family) 



