376 Notes on an alleged species of poisonous Lizard, §c. 



and said that it grew to the length of two or three feet, and 

 that when full grown its bite was deadly, which I very much 

 doubt ; but the former portion of the opinion confirms my 

 own, that it was a young Goshamp. From all I have heard 

 then, I presume that there is no such creature as a Bis- 

 copra, though I have no doubt that the bite of a Goshamp, 

 young or old, may sometimes prove fatal, but not from the 

 operation of any specific venom. I have heard that the 

 Gecko of Java has produced serious inflammation by falling 

 on the hand. I have also conversed with intelligent old 

 officers, who informed me that during Lord Cornwallis' ope- 

 rations against Tippoo Sahib in the Mysore, and the occu- 

 pation of Pulgatchery by the British army, there was a 

 general impression that the bite of the Chameleon and the 

 common Blood-sucker (known by the name of Girget) was 

 dangerous, and some'times deadly. They were killed there- 

 fore wherever found. This was partly occasioned by the 

 death of an officer who laid hold of a Chameleon with his 

 naked hand. The creature is naturally very sluggish and 

 phlegmatic ; but being frightened and squeezed in this way, 

 it in self-defence bit the officer in the hand, and he died 

 three days afterwards. This fact I had from a quarter that 

 left it beyond a doubt. 



Although the Lizard tribe then may be acquitted of the 

 charge of producing deadly effects by means of fangs or a 

 specific venom ; yet is it perfectly consistent with reason 

 that the mechanical injury of their bite may terminate in 

 erysipilatous or other form of inflammation, and even death 

 itself. A rusty nail, or a pin's scratch may, in some peculiar 

 states of constitution merge in equally serious results. The 

 human bite may also prove very injurious; and I have 

 known the collision between the teeth and the back of the 

 hand in dealing a blow abrade the skin, and produce very 

 formidable inflammation. The scratch of a Tiger's claw is 

 well known to produce a wound, sometimes very difficult 



