June 14, 1888.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



418 



of the bite of the Gila monster, he informed the writer 

 that he had heard of a case of death from the bite of 

 this reptile, but that his brother Frank K. Ainsworth 

 was conversant with the details, and he obligingly offered 

 to write and procure full particulars. From the letter 

 which follows, it will be seen that the case is reported by 

 Dr. G. E. Goodfellow of Tombstone, Arizona, to Dr. 

 Ainsworth: 



Tombstone, July 23, 1887'.— My dear Aimivorth: I at last am 

 ready to reply to your letter concerning "snakes." The Fair- 

 banks case was as follows: Yeager, about 55 years of age, was in 

 May, 1885, in Fairbanks, Arizona Territory, bitten bv a Gila 

 monster. He, to prove the innoouousness of tlie beast, put his 

 lef c thumb and forefinger into its mouth, and he was bitten. He 

 was immediately loaded to the guards with whisky— it happened 

 In a saloon— and he seemed all right, save for a slight numbness 

 and swelling in the hand and arm. He sat dowu in a chair in the 

 saloon, talked with those around for an hour. The crowd thinning 

 out, he seemed to drop asleep. In about an hour more, the saloon 

 keeper spoke to him, out not making a reply, he was taken hold 

 of and found to be. dead. I w^,s sent for, but before I could leave 

 received a second message announcing his death. He was a man 

 addicted to the us© of liquor, and so far as I can ascertain had 

 been on a prolonged spree for months. Whether he died of the 

 reptilian poison or a combination of whisky, disease and Gila 

 monster I cannot say. 



About four years ago on the lower San Pedro I was informed 

 that a man bad been bitten in the foot while in the field and died 

 within three hours. I could neither prove nor disprove the 



That the Gila, monster is a poisonous lizard cannot now be de- 

 nied. That its bite is fatal uniformly is open to discussion. 1 

 have always considered that they were a trifle more poisonous 

 than the scorpion, tarantula and centipede, not even approaching 

 the rattlesnake, and I have been accustomed to regard the bite of 

 the three first mentioned as little worse, than the sting of a bee or 

 wasp. I have known of bee stings killing, but though I have seen 

 many bitten, and have had a personal experience as well, never 

 have I known of a death to occur from the bite of a scorpion, 

 tarantula or centipede. That they can kill under certain condi- 

 tions I am convinced. * * * Very respectfully, G. E. Good- 

 fellow. 



• These accounts are the only authentic ones the writer 

 has been able to gather, after ten years of constant labor 

 and research. 



On the other side it may be stated that Mr. Horan, the 

 superintendent of the National Museum, has been bitten 

 several times by this lizard without serious results follow- 

 ing. 



The first experiment of Mitchell and Eeichert was as 

 follows: "About 4 minims (of sabva) was diluted with 

 one-half cubic centimetre of water, and tin-own into the 

 breast muscles of a large strong pigeon at 4:25 P. M. In 

 three minutes the pigeon was rocking on its feet and 

 walking unsteadily. At the same time the respiration 

 became rapid and short, and at the fifth minute feeble, at 

 the sixth minute the bird fell in convulsions with dilated 

 pupils, and was dead before the end of the seventh min- 

 ute. The first contrast to the effect of venom was shown 

 when the wound made by the hypodermic needle was 

 examined. There was not the least trace of local action, 

 such as is so characteristic of the bite of serpents, and 

 especially of the Crotalidai. The muscles and nerves 

 responded perfectly to weak induced currents, and to 

 mechanical stimuli. The heart was arrested in the full- 

 est diastole, and was full of firm black clots. The intes- 

 tines looked congested. The spine was not examined." 

 A number of other experiments made by these experi- 

 enced investigators left no doubt in their minds as to the 

 terrible venomous character of the Heloderma saliva. 



Before giving notes of the experiments made at the 

 National Museum, it may be well to describe the process 

 by which Drs. Mitchell and Reichert obtained the saliva 

 and our own. The first consisted in "provoking the rep- 

 tile to bite on a saucer edge, which it was not disposed to 

 do. When once it had seized the saucer it was hard to 

 pull it away, so powerful was the grip of the lizard's 

 jaws. After a moment a thin fluid-like saliva dripped in 

 small quantities from the lower jaw. It was slightly 

 tinted with blood, due to the violence of the bite, and it 

 had a faint and not unpleasant aromatic odor. The 

 secretion thus collected from the mouth was distinctly 

 alkaline in contrast to serpent venoms, which are all alike 

 acid." 



Our own method consisted in forcing the lizard to bite 

 upon a piece of artist's gum, which being elastic and 

 yielding, did no injury to the teeth and afforded a fair 

 hold. So soon as the saliva appeared to be flowing it 

 was careftilly swabbed up with pledgets of absorbent 

 cotton, which were washed out with glycerine, and in 

 this way we had no difficulty in securing all of the fluid 

 needed. It was preserved in glycerine the same as our 

 serpent venom. 



The first experiment, Nov. 8, 1887, was as follows: 

 Nov. 8, 1887— 12:17 P. M.— Held left hindleg of rabbit to 

 Heloderma, who grasped it with his teeth, and held 

 on for three-fourths of a minute, biting fiercely. 

 1:30 P. M. — Rabbit a little lame, but enjoyed eating as 



much as before. 

 3 P. M. — No result so far. 

 Nov. 9. — Rabbit appears to be perfectly well with the ex- 

 ception of a very slight lameness of the left hind- 

 leg, due to the lacerated wound made by the liz- 

 ard's teeth. 



12:30 P. M. — Held leg of another rabbit near the mouth 

 of a different Heloderma from the one used in the 

 former experiment, and irritated the reptile until 

 he took hold. In this case the rabbit's leg was 

 seized several times and bitten to the bone, the 

 reptile being unwilling to let go. There was a 

 copious flow of saliva, which ran over the teeth 

 wounds and was rubbed in by the experimenters, 

 care having been taken to remove the hair from 

 the rabbit's leg. In fact this was done in every 

 case, as it was feared the thick fur might prevent 

 the saliva from reaching the woiuids. 



3 P. M.— No result. 

 Nov. 10.— No result. 



Nov. 11. — No result except slight lameness. 



Nov 17 — 12:45 P. M. — Injected three minims of solution 

 of Heloderma saliva in leg of hen (brown). Respi- 

 ration somewhat increased, but no other symptoms 

 noticed. 



2:30 P. M.— Fowl in about the same condition; respira- 

 tion slightly increased and breathes with beak partly 

 open. 



Nov. 18. — Fowl appears to be entirely recovered. 

 Nov. 20. — Chicken completely recovered. 



In this case the increased respiration was probably due 

 to the fact that the chicken being a very noisy one it 

 became necessary to compress its throat to avoid annoy- 

 ing other workers in the Museum. 



Nov, £2—12:19 P. M. — Injected 10 minims of solution of 

 Heloderma saliva and 10 minims of water into left 

 breast of another hen. This chicken was very thin 



but perfectly healthy, and had been used for two 

 rattlesnake venom experiments with ligature and 

 recovered. 



12:25 P. M.— Increase of respiration, wants to lie down, 



defecates, feathers ruffled. 

 12:30 P. M. — Panting heavily; peculiar outward and 



inward movement of rectum; eyes closed and very 



drowsy. 



Nov. 28.— Chicken entirely recovered, and has been so for 

 several days. 



12:35 P. M.— Injected 25 minims of solution of Helo- 

 derma saliva into left leg of another hen. 

 12:40 P. M. — Hen lying down, respiration quickened, 



and breathes with mouth open. 

 2:30 P. M.— Chicken still lying down and breathing fast. 

 Nov. 29 — 11 A. M.— Chicken in same condition as yester- 

 day; will not eat. 

 Nov. 80—11 A. M.— Chicken improving; eats a little. 

 Dec. 1 — 11 A. M. — Chicken appears to'be all right; eats 

 well. 



Dee. 2 — 11 A. A. M. — Chicken entirely recovered. 



Dec 5—12:15 P. M.— Injected 25 minims of solution Helo- 

 derma, saliva into breast of chicken, same quantity 

 into right leg, same quantity into left leg, making 

 in all 75 minims. In a short time fowl had copious 

 watery discharge per anum, with a curious oscilla- 

 tory movement of that opening. 

 12:25. — Chicken lying down with its feathers much 

 ruffled. 



Dec. 6.— Chicken found dead. This fowl had been used 

 for previous experiments, and was very thin and 

 weak, and it is by no means certain whether the 

 copious diarrhoea probably produced by the glyce- 

 rine did not cause its death. 



Dee. 5. — Forced largest Heloderma to bite a chicken on 

 the leg (from which feathers had been removed) 

 several times. There was a copious flow of saliva 

 and many lacerated wounds. 



Dec. 6. — Chicken seems perfectly well, no swelling or 

 local manifestations whatever. 



Dec. 7. — Chicken perfectly well. 

 Fearing that possibly the glycerine solution of venom 



(2drs. of saliva to 6drs. of glycerine) was too weak or had 



lost it strength through keeping, on Dec. 8 the following 



conclusive experiment was performed: 

 12:15 P. M. — Forced open the jaws of the largest and 

 most savage Heloderma and collected upon a piece 

 of absorbent cotton from ten to fifteen drops of 

 fresh saliva. An incision was made in the breast 

 of a chicken and the cotton placed in it and allowed 

 to remain. 



Dec. 10. — The chicken appears perfectly well; no sign of 

 indisposition or local manifestations whatever. 

 Wound appears to be healing kindly. 



Jan. 20, 1888, — Wound in breast has been healed for 

 some time, the cotton remains where it was placed 

 and can be felt encysted under the skin and has 

 produced no injury. 



April 4. —The chicken alive and healthy with the cotton 

 still in sitti. 



This experiment w r ould seem to show that a large 

 amount of the Heloderma saliva can be inserted into the 

 tissues without producing any harm, and it is still a 

 mystery to the writer how Drs. Mitchell and Reichert and 

 hiinself obtained entirely different results. Were it not 

 for the well-known accuracy and carefulness of Dr. 

 Mitchell it might be suppos'ed possibly that the hypo- 

 dermic syringe used in his experiment contained a cer- 

 tain amount of Crotalus or cobra venom, but under the 

 circumstances such a hypothesis is entirely untenable. 

 Moreover no local symptoms were manifested £s would 

 have been the case had venom been inserted. Both the 

 Gila monsters were good-sized active specimens, full of 

 vigor, secreting a considerable amount of saliva, and we 

 can hardly suppose that the short captivity they had suf- 

 fered could have so modified their saliva as to render it 

 innocuous. 



The Bear in Camp. — Fredericton, N. B.— Editor Forest 

 and Stream: Mr. Silver says a bear will not enter a camp 

 door. I know that they do not care to do so, but yet they 

 will. Some few years ago I saw where one had entered 

 a camp by the door, and taken out a paraffins lamp, 

 thrown it down; and when the body of the lamp lay at 

 one side, and the chimney at the other, bruin had lain 

 down and rolled himself between the two. The bear 

 seems to have a great liking for this oil. I have also 

 known other instances, where bears have gone into camps 

 by the doors, though they usually prefer to knock off the 

 shingles and go in at the back of the camp.— Edward 

 Jack. 



Recent Arrivals at Philadelphia Zoological Garden.— 

 Received by purchase— One peba armadillo (Tatusia peba), one 

 vulpine phalanger (Phalangista vulpiua), one velvet monkey (Oer- 

 copithecus lalandii), one Campbell's monkey (Cercopithecus camp- 

 belii) one green monkey (Cercopithecus callitrichus), three sooty 

 mangabeys (Cercoeebus fuliginosus), four eutellus monkeys (Sem- 

 nopithecus eutellus), one serval (Felis serval), one wild swine (Sus 

 scrofa), two grav foxes (Vuipes cinereo-argentatus), one wedge- 

 tailed eagle (Aquila audax), four snow geese (Anser hyperboreus), 

 one European quail (Coturnix communis), one kestrel (f innuneu- 

 lus alaudarius), two passerine parrakeets fPsittaeula passerina), 

 four nonpareil finches (Cyanospiza eiris), and 2 indigo birds 

 (Cyanospiza cyanea). Received by presentation— One opossum 

 (l/idelphys virginiana), one green monkey (Corcopithecua calli- 

 trichus), eleven striped gophers (Spermoplnlus tridecem lineatus), 

 one common Macaque ' (macacus cynomolgus), one night heron 

 (Nvctiardea grisea), two turtle doves (Turtur risorius), two painted 

 terrapins (Cfirvsemys picta), Ave alligators (Alligator mis^issippi- 

 ensis), and one dragon-like lizard (Dracaena guianensis). Born 

 in garden— One American buffalo (Bison americanus), four 

 prairie wolves (Canis latrans), one aoudad (Ovis tragelaphus) and 

 one hybrid deer (from C. virginianus $ and C. niexicanus ? ). 



Grand Excursions to California.— The Burlington 

 Route is the official route for the teachers bound for the 

 National Educational Meeting at San Francisco. Join 

 the splendid official excursion party from New York, 

 Pennsylvania, Brooklyn, New England, Ohio, Michigan 

 and Indiana, leaving Chicago July 3, 5, 8, 9 and 10. 

 Magnificent trains, free chair ears, Pullman and tourist 

 sleepers, etc. The public entitled to one fare for this oc- 

 casion. For further information write E. J. Swords, 317 

 Broadway, New York city; H. D. Badgley, 306 Washing- 

 ton st., Boston, Mass., or address P. S. Eustis, G. P. & T. 

 A., C. B. & Q. R. R., Chicago, Illinois.— Adv. 



Mr. Reuben Harwood, Somerville, Mass., whose advertise- 

 ment appears in another column, issues some very complete price 

 lists of guns, rifles, revolvers, etc, which it would be well tor in- 

 ' tending buyers to see.— Adv. 



§mm §xg mi §mp 



RIFLES FOR SMALL GAME.-I1. 



Editor Forest and. Stream; 



Since the article under the above heading appeared in 

 Forest and Stream of May 10 I have received so many 

 inquiries about the .22-eal. rifle that I have been tempted 

 to answer some of them through your columns. While 

 1 fully realize that I have yet a great deal to learn, I will 

 give a few points that have been learned in the school of 

 experience. 



To those who are so fortunate as to possess a good rifle 

 it is sometimes a mystery why they do no better work 

 with it. Here is a point to begin with, simple as it is, it 

 is many times forgotten or ignored altogether. Keep 

 your rifle clean. When your barrel is clean it remains 

 fixed and unalterable, every time the same; but when 

 your grooves are full of dirt and lead you are dealing 

 with an unknown quantity. Many a one who would not 

 think of such a thing as firing a muzzleloading rifle fif- 

 teen or twenty times at a target — trying to do fine work 

 — without cleaning it, will blaze away with the breech- 

 loader shot after shot, and when he sees plainly enough 

 that the first two or three shots are the best, does not stop 

 to think that in order to do its best the rifle must be clean. 

 Of course it is often necessary to use several shots with- 

 out cleaning when hunting, but in target work where fine 

 shooting is desired it is a great mistake. Try it. Shoot 

 one string without cleaning, and in the next one have 

 the barrel perfectly clean every shot. 



This question has been asked me by so many that it 

 requires an answer, Whose make of cartridges' are the 

 best? My experience has proved the .22 short cartridge 

 made by the Winchester Co. to give the best results. I 

 have used many thousands of all the most prominent 

 makers and have made my best targets with Winchester 

 cartridges. I however can not say this of all their car- 

 tridges. The .22 long "rifle" cartridge I think is made 

 only by the U. M. C. Co. and with a Stevens rifle I have 

 mada some remarkble targets using this cartridge. With 

 .the Maynard 10-45 c.f. I use the shells (everlasting) 

 made by the manufacturers of the rifle expressly for it; 

 also use the reloading tools made by them and run my 

 own bullets from pure lead and lubricate with a home- 

 made compound of which I will say more further on. I 

 use American Powder Co.'s Dead Shot FFG. powder and 

 after many years' experience with all kinds, must pro- 

 nounce it the very best for fine work that I ever used. 



There is a point worth considering regarding our car- 

 tridges being new and fresh. If not fresh from the fac- 

 tory the lubricating material becomes hard and brittle, or 

 perhaps the bullet is all corroded; and in reality there is 

 little or no lubricant left. Wipe it all off and put on 

 new. Do not put on too much, for that is just what will 

 cause wild shooting, especially in cold weather. It shoud 

 be evenly and lightly coated ; but my advice is get new, 

 fresh cartridges if possible. I have an excellent lubri- 

 cant that I have found to be the best tiling for large or 

 small bullets tha t I ever saw. If any of my brother rifle- 

 men would like to give it a trial I will mail them a box 

 of it if they will send stamps for the postage and packing. 

 (It is not for sale so this is not an advertisement.) It is 

 cheap to produce and I shall be pleased to give it to any 

 practical rifle shooter who will test it thoroughly. 



One question was asked me that shows that a wrong 

 view is taken by some shooters regarding the holding of 

 a rifle for hunting shots, which are most always made 

 off-hand. How can you hold a rifle still enough to do 

 such shooting? I cannot hold a rifle still, not for one 

 second. If I try to hold still the gun begins to wobble, 

 and the more I try to hold it the worse it will go; and 

 just here is one mistake that young riflemen are apt to 

 make. They will try to use a hip rest or a body rest; 

 they set every muscle as rigid as they can, hold their 

 breath, shut the left eye until they are most ready to pull, 

 and then close the other one; go through all sorts of un- 

 natural performances, and — well, strange to say, some of 

 them get a good target sometimes on the range. I have 

 had some very successful hunting trips, and this is the 

 way I go to work. I use the ordinary hunting butt on 

 the rifle, and like the shotgun butt on the larger caliber. 

 I hold the rifle the same as I do a shotgun, with both 

 arms free from the body, and with the left hand well out 

 under the barrel. I leave both arms free to carry or swing 

 the gun wherever I wish it to go. I keep both eyes open 

 and then cannot see any too well in the woods. I use the 

 Lyman rear and ivory bead front sights. Many a time I 

 have had a squirrel start on his travels when I was rais- 

 ing the rifle to draw a bead on him, and following along 

 after him, either up or down a tree trunk or along a 

 liinb with the little white bead, tumbling him at the 

 crack of the rifle. This as you will see would be almost 

 impossible if the rigid, cramped and awkward positions 

 that we see on the ranges were used. 



The whole secret (if any there be) of off-hand shooting 

 at game is to keep both eyes open, watch your game, 

 and when the front sight is there give the trigger the 

 pressure instantly, or in other words, catch it when it 

 gets there and do not let it go by. A ball of wood sus- 

 pended by a string and made to swing like a pendulum 

 on a clock makes a good target for practice, using the 

 position I have described. Let your arms move easy and 

 free, put no unnecessary strain on the muscles, keep both 

 eyes open and you will be surprised to see how often you 

 will hit it and how it will help you to hit small stationary 

 objects off-hand. In this way very nervous persons 

 often do the best shooting, as they "-catch" the trigger 

 quickly and at the right instant. Rest shooting is well 

 enough in its place, and is of course necessary in adjust- 

 ing sights and testing the shooting qualities of the rifle, 

 but it is entirely out of the question when you are in the 

 woods after game. Glass balls thrown in the air are 

 well enough for amusement, but are of no vahie as re- 

 gards making a good shot for game shooting. With my 

 1045 Maynard I have shot woodchucks dead at over 

 100yds. on several occasions, and every one who has ever 

 hunted them knows that they are hard to kill. With the 

 3-30 cartridge I have made several old veteran Thomas 

 cats bite the dust and stop within four feet of where they 

 were shot, and most of us know that the old fellows have 

 "nine lives.'* I have dropped many a ruffed grouse from 

 tall trees with this same little bullet, and on one occasion 

 killed a black duck at about 200yds. that I shot at out of 

 spite, as I found I could get no nearer. 



The ,22-cal. is so fight and handy to use and carry, th» 



