TEXAS NATURE OBSERVATIONS AND REMINISCENCES. 163 



crevices of rocks, in caverns, can- 

 yons, caves and cliffy regions. 



*As stated, Mr. Marsh handles 

 his old Gila like any other tamed 

 and trained animal — pets it on its 

 back and neck parts, when, say- 

 ing: "open your mouth" the Gila 

 opens it widely; takes it in his 

 hands and even, Mr. Marsh toldj us, 

 he can put his finger in the Gila's 

 mouth without ever having been 

 injured. At the time the photo- 

 graphs were taken of this Gila, 

 in presence of Mr. Marsh and Dr. 

 Bobt. Lee "Withers, (January 

 1913,) the animal was at times 

 restless, but it never made an at- 

 tempt to bite whilst Mr. Marsh 

 put his fingers and hand on the 

 reptile's neck and back (in which 

 position one o:^ the photos was 

 taken at my private office room.) 



In all the literary works at my 

 -disposal— German as well as En- 

 glish, no mention whatever is 

 made of this animal as to its 

 haunts and habits and life history 

 in general ; though the above 

 data throws much light on our 

 subject, it is not complete, and 

 further direct observations are re- 

 quired, especially from specimens 

 'observed in their native haunts. 



From the narrative of this sad 

 and fatal case cited previously of 

 a hunting party, and similar oc- 

 curance, there hardly can be any 

 doubt but that this Gila reptile 

 is a most deadly animal in its 

 wild surroundings, especially 

 when disturbed or provoked, as 

 in the cited case of a female Gila 

 encountered and molested acci- 

 dentally in a cave. 



The sharp pointed jaw teeth al- 

 so indicate that this animal feeds 

 on other substances besides eggs; 

 and the clumsy body and sluggish 

 locomotion of its very short and 

 broad legs and toes indicate that 

 they are no tree climbers and 

 therefore feed on .the ground, on 

 eggs of such species of birds, liz- 

 zards, snakes, etc., depositi'rig 

 their eggs on or under ground. ,' 



Lately, in the Daily Express, a 

 very interesting article appeared 

 on the Gila Monster by T. S. Mc- 

 Geeney, and it relates to actual 

 observations; It throws much light 

 on our subject, as to its life habits: 



"The Gila is a deadly foe to small 

 animals and birds, and, while it 

 is averred by some well-known au- 

 thorities that the bite of the Gila 

 Monster is instantly fatal to small 

 animals and birds, and very in- 

 jurious, though seldom fatal to 

 man, I cannot agree with them 

 and must dispute their allegations, 

 as I personally know of several 

 eases where the bite of the Gila 

 monster proved fatai. Some years 

 ago, while riding over the trail be- 

 tween Deming, and the Florida 

 Mountains, I found the body of a 

 prospector who had died from the 

 bite of a Gila Monster, and' upon 

 one of my visits to the Mescalero 

 Indian reservation I saw an 

 Apache Indian who was dying 

 from /the bite he had received 

 from this reptile, while out hunt- 

 ing. In both cases the flesh 

 turned black, hence the name the 

 "black death." 



"The bite of the Gila Monster 

 is not necessarily fatal if he is 

 pulled away from his victim be- 

 fore he has time to inject his poi- 

 son, and death only results when 

 the reptile has vomited. It takes 

 about five seconds after the reptile 

 fastens its teeth in its victim be- 

 fore the poison can pass through 

 its grooved teeth into the wound it 

 has made. The teeth serve as a 

 hvnodermie needle to convey the 

 poison into the blood. 



■'At certain periods of the year, 

 the Gila Monster, when closely 

 pressed, will, show fight .by stand- 

 ing erect, with mouth wide open, 

 hissing and blowing forth its poi- 

 sonous breath ; at other times it is 

 hard to see, as its color becomes 

 dingy and it conceals itself under 

 rocks and among roots of the cacti 

 and in walking about the hunter 

 is apt to tread upon it. 



