68 ON THE "GILA MONSTER." 



arm, a little higher than before. As in the first experi- 

 ment there was no room to doubt the penetration of the 

 teeth. The cat again licked the wounds and for a consid- 

 erable time was occupied in dressing them. There was no 

 disposition to go to sleep as on the day before. In two 

 hours, as soon as the cat was inclined to pay no farther 

 attention to its wounds, it was killed and the skin removed 

 the better to note the effects of the bites. The fore-arm 

 and hand were found to be swollen to twice the size of the 

 opposite hand and arm. The track of each tooth was 

 marked by the blood in and close around it, and the num- 

 ber and depth left no doubt of the conclusiveness of the 

 experiment ; the teeth had gone to the bones and between 

 them. I saw nothing by which to distinguish the cuts from 

 those made by a needle. There were no signs of disor- 

 ganization in either the first or the second bites. Nothing 

 could be seen in the way of discoloration or otherwise to 

 give reason for any other conclusion than that the kitten 

 would have entirely recovered in a few hours, by the time 

 the swelling had gone down, if it had been allowed to live. 



The outcome of such observations as have been made 

 on this specimen has been confirmation of the opinion that 

 the species is venomous to a certain degree, to an extent 

 that, while it may most often prove fatal to very small an- 

 imals, is only in exceptional instances deadly or perhaps 

 even dangerous to larger ones. The effect on the kitten 

 was identical with that on the puppies in Suuiichrast's ex- 

 periments. That poison was introduced by the bite was 

 evident from the distress and swelling occasioned. 



Dr. Fischer has described and figured secretory apparatus 

 on the lower jaws ; no glands have been found on the upper. 

 There is an important question to be solved in connection 

 with this apparent lack of venom-secreting organs on one 

 of the jaws, which is quite as well prepared for its use as 



