NATURE'S REALM. 
and forth and around, with more flexibility 
than was to be expected from its size, as if con- 
stantly on the alert for unseen danger. The 
organ is very sensitive. While asleep the tail 
was stowed as if to insure its safety; it was 
either extended directly back into the burrow, 
half of the body remaining outside, or, when 
the animal was wholly under cover, it was 
bent forward along the side. In sleep, the 
body lies flat on the sand and the arms were 
usually stretched back, palms upward. After 
a few weeks less care was taken in regard to 
entering the burrow during the day, and the 
naps were taken anywhere in the box. 
The box was not well placed for the sun- 
shine; it was covered with a strong netting. 
Some attempts to get through the net one 
morning caused the occupant to be taken by 
the shoulders and litted over into another cage 
where he might get the full benefit of the sun. 
This was quietly enjoyed until the sun had 
passed, then there was another attempt on the 
cover, followed by return to the first box and 
retreat into the hole. This came to be the 
regular proceeding. Every morning about 
g o'clock the fellow climbed up in the corner 
of his box, whence he was lifted over into the 
sunshine to take a nap until the shadows came 
upon him, then he would climb in the corner 
again till returned to the larger box to take his 
favorite position in his den for awhile. To for- 
get or neglect him was out of the question ; 
his scratching would not permit it. 
The number of eggs charged to him does not 
average more than one per week; the other 
food given him amounted to very little. 
In the latter part of July he began to slough. 
The epiderm came off in a very ragged way, 
in shreds and patches. There seemed to be no 
effort to hasten the process, and a month later 
it was notentirely finished. Thinking to hurry 
the matter, in case all had not gone along in 
the norma] way, a bath tub was furnished with 
water sufficient to completely cover him. At 
once he showed a fondness for lying in the 
water with his snout sticking out; this was va- 
ried by lying on the bank with his tail sticking 
in, a position which he apparently found to be 
very delightful. 
Heloderma was really good natured. Tobe 
Iol 
sure’ he was easily worried into self-defense, 
but there was nothing vicious in his disposi- 
tion. To scratch him on the sides, or rub the 
knobbed scales of his back, or, more readily 
than either, to blow in his face would make 
him open his mouth, for which he was not 
much to be blamed, but even then something 
had to be put between his teeth to get him to 
bite, he had so little desire to take hold of his 
tormentor. 
His thirst required more attention than his 
hunger ; he drank frequently and always with 
great deliberation. To tempt his appetite vari- 
ous things, such as insects, worms, young 
birds, mice, meats and cooked foods were put 
before him. He took none of them voluntarily, 
but would swallow occasional offerings if they 
were put into his mouth. Some things he 
would not accept on any terms, they were put 
out of the mouth as fast as put in ; others that 
he might be induced to swallow were held in 
his jaws for along time. At the end ofa year 
the only evidence of loss of flesh was to be no- 
ticed near the end of the tail, where it had 
grown a little more thin and pointed. The 
body had retained its plumpness, being rather 
more than three and a half inches wide to 
twelve inches long, without the tail. 
His only sound was a long-drawn aspirate 
hah! like a sigh produced by expelling the 
breath from the lungs. If teased till out of pa- 
tience, this was given out with the mouth 
partly open, when it had all the force of a 
warning ; whether it was intended for that pur- 
pose or was merely preparation for a struggle, 
by lessening the bulk, are still to be considered. 
It really answered both purposes. 
In regard to the nature of the venom and 
fatality of the bite there is little to offer that is 
new. The results of the experiments suggest 
danger for small animals but little or none for 
larger ones. Large angle worms and insects 
seemed to die much more quickly when bitten 
than when cut to pieces with the scissors. 
Acquaintance with this specimen has satis- 
fied me, however, that the reports of the deadly 
nature of the species are mainly exaggerations, 
with little, if any, foundation in fact. Popular 
opinion, and, for that matter, its manner of 
origin, are illustrated by the following, credited 
