ON THE EJECTION OF BLOOD FROM THE EYES OF HORNED TOADS. 
BY 
O. P. Hay. 
Some years ago there moved into my neighborhood, from Texas, a 
family which included among its members two boys. These boys had 
brought along with them a few lizards belonging to the genus Phry- 
nosoma, and popularly called Horned Toads. The boys told me that 
these little animals would sometimes, when teased, squirt blood out of 
their eyes. I did not handle them much and saw no evidences of such 
a sanguinary disposition as was imputed to them. i did not believe 
that the lizards could really squirt blood, nor did I wholly disbelieve 
the boys’ story. I thought it possible that some gland about the head 
might secrete a red fluid, which might be ejected by the animal when 
there was occasion for its use. + 
During a part of the past summer I was, through the kindness of 
Mr. Leonhard Stejneger, curator, permitted to work in the Department 
of Reptiles of the National Museum. Near my desk there was a speci- 
men of Phrynosoma coronatum which had been sent from California by 
a member of Dr. Merriam’s exploring party. About the 1st of August 
it was shedding its outer skin, and the process appeared to be a 
difficult one, since the skin was dried and adhered closely. One day 
it occurred to me that it might facilitate matters if I should give the 
animal a wetting; so, taking it up, I carried it to a wash-basin of water 
near by and suddenly tossed the lizard into the water. The first sur- 
prise was probably experienced by the Phrynosoma, but the next sur- 
prise was my own, for on one side of the basin there suddenly appeared 
a number of spots of red fluid, which resembled blood. I immediately 
recalled what the boys had told me of the ability of Horned Toads to 
squirt blood, and I concluded that this was a good time to settle the 
question whether this fluid was blood or not. A microscope was soon 
procured and an examination was made, which immediately showed 
that the matter ejected was really blood. 
The affair now became very interesting. Just where the blood came 
from I could not determine with certainty, the whole thing having 
happened so suddenly and unexpectedly; yet the appearance seemed 
to indicate that the blood came from the region about one of the eyes. 
There appeared to be a considerable quantity of the blood, since on the 
sides of the vessel and on the wall near it I counted ninety of the 
little splotches. A consultation was had with Mr. Stejneger the next 
Proceedings National Museum, Vol. XV—No. 907. 
375 
