spilling and the reptile apparently thrived. Dis- 

 section after death showed blood-clots around the 

 heart; otherwise all organs looked normal. Thick 

 layers of fat lined the sides of the abdomen. A 

 few days before, while feeding, the forceps slipped 

 and the reptile's jaws closed with sufficient force 

 to splinter the glass tube. Injury received through 

 this accident probably caused death. 



Shedding of the skin did not occur at regular 

 intervals, but rather continuously, small patches 

 peeling off here and there. 



On October 2(>, 15)07, a museum attendant was 

 bitten in the fleshy part of the base of the thumb of 

 the right hand. The reptile's hold was extremely 

 tenacious, and some time, perhaps a minute, elapsed 

 before the hand was released. The wound showed 

 6 small punctures. Swelling and discoloration of 

 the hand, accompanied by great pain in the hand 

 and arm, followed quickly. Although immediately 

 placed under medical care, when the patient 

 reported for duty two weeks later, he still com- 

 plained of numbness in the hand and arm and 

 occasional dizziness. Lack of mental reserve and 

 a physical condition below the average in this case 

 no doubt contributed in rendering the effect of the 

 Gila Monster's bite unusually severe. 



GEORGE P. ENGELHAEDT, 



Brooklyn, X. Y. 



A HYBRID CENTRARCHID. 



On December 12-1-!, 1911, a small collection 

 of fishes was made in the Chesapeake and Ohio 

 Canal above Violet's Lock, about 25 miles above 

 the city of Washington, D. C. 



Among the fishes taken was a Centrarchid 

 which is apparently a cross between Ghwnobryttus 



