ON THE "GILA MONSTER." 69 



the other on which the glands are so well developed. On 

 both upper and lower jaws each tooth has a lateral groove 

 on each side ; these furrows are supposed to be for the pur- 

 pose of inserting the venom in the wounds made by the 

 teeth. Unless there are, not yet discovered, means of sup- 

 plying venom to the upper teeth, it is difficult to see how 

 their furrows are made available, if not by means of a 

 quantity set free in the mouth, from the lower jaws, be- 

 fore the attempt to bite, a process of such uncertain effi- 

 cacy as hardly to be considered probable. 



Averse to torturing the creature, no attempt was made 

 to verify the statement made by Sumichrast concerning 

 the habit of turning on the back to defend itself when 

 struck or beaten with a club. However, it might be ex- 

 pected to do just what is asserted of it under such circum- 

 stances, for the position would be that which would enable 

 it most effectively to use feet and claws in aid of the teeth 

 in self-defence. 



The breath is no more colored than that of human be- 

 ings ; neither is it nor could it be any more offensive in its 

 odor than the incense wafted from the lips of multitudes 

 of the representatives of proud humanity. In regard to 

 the breath being venom-laden, that of the specimen be- 

 fore us certainly was not so ; here again it would be no 

 very difficult undertaking to select an army of men with 

 whom a comparison in this respect would undoubtedly 

 prove complimentary to the " monster." 



And, finally, it may be said that unprejudiced consider- 

 ation of the matter as it stands between the reptile and his 

 detractors will not fail to convince any one that a great 

 deal of the disrepute with which so much of the testimony 

 is weighted should not by any means be attached to the 

 lizard. 



