632 THE secretary's report on the insect-house. [Nov. 14, 



J. G. Fischer ' on the poisou-glands of a specimen preserved in spirits. 

 On one occasion, Dr. Fischer tells us that the gentleman who pro- 

 cured the specimen and kept it for some time alive in Mexico, was 

 bitten when handling it, and that the effects were of a very serious 

 character. 



" I may add that Heloderma is probably not the only poisonous 

 lizard. Lanthonotus borneensis, a pretty close ally of this lizard, 

 described four years ago by Dr. Steindachner, exhibits, according 

 to that author, a similar dentition. " 



Sir Joseph Fayrer made the subjoined remarks on the same sub- 

 ject: — 



•' On the 31st August, 1882, 1 was present when the Heloderm bit 

 two Guinea-pigs in the hind leg, at about 9.30 a.m. The bites were 

 viciously inflicted ; and the lizard did not readily relinquish its hold. 

 Blood was drawn, the teeth beiug deeply inserted. Both Guinea-pigs 

 were affected ; the bitten limb was dragged and appeared partially 

 paralyzed. There were twitchings of the body generally : but these 

 may not have been due to the poison, but to agitation and fear. 



" These creatures seemed partially stupefied and apparently in pain, 

 and ran away when touched, dragging the hind leg, which became 

 swollen and ecchymosed. I watched them for about half an hour ; 

 and, beyond the symptoms described, they did not seem deeply af- 

 fected. They both, however, died in the course of the day. 



" Mr. Bartlett wrote to me that both Guinea-pigs died, the larger 

 one about two and a half hours after I saw it ; the other at night. 

 The blood taken from the heart and great vessels after death coa- 

 gulated. This seems to show that there is a poison, but that it can- 

 not be nearly so active or virulent as that of the Cobra. May it 

 not be that the ordinary salivan secretion contains a larger 

 quantity of active principle than that of other lizards, and that all 

 saliva contains a trace of this active principle which is so intensely 

 developed in the Cobra and Viper? " 



The Secretary also read the subjoined Report on the insects bred 

 in the Insect-house in the Society's Gardens during the past season, 

 drawn up by Mr. Arthur Thomson, the Superintendent's Assistant : — 



Of the silk-producing Bombyces, the following species have been 

 exhibited in the Insect-house during the past season, viz. : — 



Samia cecropia. 

 Attacus Cynthia. 



■ pernyi. 



roylei 



mylitta. 



Attacus atlas. 

 Actias selene. 



luna. 



Telea promethea. 

 j)olyphemus. 



I succeeded in obtaining fertile ova of all these species except 

 Attacus atlas, Attacus mylitta, and Telea promethea ; but I am 

 exceedingly sorry to have to state that, of the whole of the young 



1 Verb. Nat. Verein, Hamburg, 1882. 



