special topic of the life-history of the Helodei 

 a well-known naturalist resident in Mexico, stat< 

 it was the exception that small mai 



n after there appeared an editorial in 

 , page 842) referring to the experir 



of Dr. Irwin, of th« 

 Heloderm was com 

 paratively harmless; but it added, further, that a specimen in tin 

 Zoological Garden of London had bitten a frog and a guinea-pig, botl 

 of which had died in a few moments. Still, the editor of the Nat 

 uralist was of the opinion that " this might happen if this large lizan 

 : careful experiments a 



- 



Dr. Gii 



ther, of the British Museum, comes forward and states that 

 be no doubt as to the poisonous nature of the bite of Hebderma 

 horridum, and cites numerous cases to support his views : and Dr. 

 Sclater, the secretary of the Zoological Society of London, apparently 

 entertained a similar opinion, as did also the eminent herpetologist, 

 Mr. Boulenger, of the British Museum. 



During the same vear the present writer, who was at that time con- 

 nected with the Department of Reptiles at the United Stat,.- National 

 Museum, was severely bitten by an infuriated adult specimen of Helo- 

 derma siispectum, and although much pain and grave symptoms at once 

 supervened, the results passed entirely away in a few days with barely 

 any treatment. I published a short account of it at the time. Again, 



