102 
to Col. A. G. Tassin, U.S. A., inthe Overland 
Monthly: ‘The Gila monster is an ugly 
reptile peculiar to Arizona, and, as its name 
implies, most common along the Gila River. 
It is a sort of a cross between a lizard and an 
alligator, roughly striped black and white on 
a yellowish background. Its length varies 
from ten to thirty inches, and a large-sized fel- 
low is as thick as a strong man’s arm. When 
prodded with a stickit hisses and thrusts out its 
‘heavy forked tongue, raising its head mena- 
cingly, but scarcely moving otherwise. Its 
bite is often fatal, the effect depending more or 
less upon the state of the saurian’s temper and 
the depth of the wound. Its breath in hissing 
is offensive, and issues from a wide-open mouth 
in puffs of black vapor or smoke, The Mexi- 
cans I have questioned all told me that it was 
exceedingly poisonous, as much so as the bite, 
if not more, while many of the Americans 
thought it harmless. Having myself seen a 
chicken and a small puppy killed by the hissing 
of one in their faces, I am inclined to think that 
it is best to keep from coming in contact with 
it.” Comment on this is unnecessary. Still more 
conclusive in its way is the following, originally 
from the Cochise Record, reprinted without 
comment inthe “ Proceedings of the Zodélogical 
Society of London,” 1888: ‘Sunday evening 
Dr. Matthews was summoned by telegram to 
Fairbanks (a railway station near Tombstone, 
Ariz. Ter.) to attend Col. Yearger, who was 
reported seriously ill. 
telegram, the doctor did not reach the patient 
until several hours after his death, which had 
been very sudden. 
‘Tt appears that Yearger had been fooling 
with a Gila monster, and in attempting to open 
the creature’s mouth was bitten on the right 
thumb. Instantly the poison took effect, and, 
although every convenientremecly was applied, 
he lived but a few hours. An inquest was 
subsequently held, and a verdict returned in 
accordance with the above facts. 
« As this is the third or fourth death which 
has occurred in the Territory from bites of this 
reptile, it should set at rest, at once and for- 
ever, the theory so prevalent that their bite is 
not poisonous.” 
For comparison with the foregoing we may 
Owing to delay in the 
NATURE'S REALM. 
bring forward the evidence of a couple of wit- 
nesses of scientific reputation. They have no 
interest in destroying the character of the ac- 
cused and may be expected to give testimony 
without prejudice. If they are less positive in 
their assertions than the preceding, it is possi- 
bly due to to their actual acquaintance with 
the creature. 
Dr. E. Sumichrast, under date of 1880, in the 
Bulletin de la Société Zoologique de France, 
page 178, remarks concerning Heloderma hor- 
ridum. ‘J'ai peu de chose a ajouter aux ob- 
servations de moeurs que j'ai publiées sur cette 
espéce, il y a quelques années, si ce n'est, 
qu’aprés de nouvelles expériences sur sa mor- 
sure, je suis arrivé a la conviction qu’elle occa- 
sionne rarement la mort chez les animaux d’une 
certaine taille et que, la plupart du temps, elle 
n’est suivie que d’une enflure de la partie mor- 
due qui disparait au bout de vingt-quatre 
heures au plus; c’est au moins le seul effet 
qu'elle ait produit sur plusieurs jeunes chiens 
que j'ai fait mordre derniérement.” 
Dr. R. W. Shufeldt is one who, from having 
been incautious enough to get bitten, is enti- 
tled to speak with some degree of assurance. 
His statement is found in the American Nat- 
uralist for 1882, page 908. He was bitten on 
the right thumb, the teeth going to the bone, 
by a specimen at the Smithsonian Institution. 
The lacerated wound was in a few moments 
the starting point of severe shooting pains that 
passed up the arm and down the corresponding 
side. A profuse perspiration was induced. 
The pain made him so faint as to fall. The 
hand swelled rapidly, but the swelling went no 
farther than the wrist. The treatment included 
suction, which drew not a little blood from the 
wound, a small quantity of whiskey, external 
application of ice and laudanum and a lead- 
water wash afterward to reduce the swelling. 
He passed a sleepless night. By the next day 
the swelling was considerably reduced and 
thereafter disappeared gradually. The follow- 
ing is the conclusion of the Doctor's statement: 
“Taking everything into consideration, we 
must believe the bite of Heloderma suspectum 
to be a harmless one beyond the ordinary 
symptoms that usually follow the bite of any 
irritated animal. I have seen, as perhaps all 
