96 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



insects from the fingers of their keeper. Individuals 

 which have been recently caught, however, often show 

 considerable anger when handled, puffing themselves 

 up and hissing fiercely, seizing their tormentor's fingers 

 with their impotent jaws, or throwing at him a stream 

 of blood from the corner of the eye. It is said that the 

 Mexicans call them sacred toads because they weep tears 

 of blood. The best account of this most curious habit 

 has been given us by Dr. 0. P. Hay,* who, writing of a 

 specimen of Phrynosoma frontale, says, in part: 



"About the first 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 oc- 

 curred 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 surprise was prob- 

 ably 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. * * * A microscope was soon pro- 

 cured and an examination was made, which immediately 

 showed that the matter ejected was really blood. * * * 

 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. * * * 

 The next day * * * I picked up the lizard and was 

 holding it between my thumb and middle finger, and 

 stroking its horns with my fore finger. All at once a 

 quantity of blood was thrown out against my fingers, 

 and a portion of it ran down the animal's neck; and 

 this blood came directly out of the right eye. It was 



*Proc. U. S. Nat Mus., XV, 1892, p. 375. 



