90 
WILD AMERICANS 
"He is not quick to strike, as is a rattlesnake, for 
instance; and he does not have fangs that inject poi¬ 
son as a rattlers do. But poison flows from his lower 
jaw and may easily infect any wound his teeth make. 
A few people have been killed by Gila Monsters, and 
others have been bitten without suffering harm." 
Buck and Ginger asked many questions about the 
odd lizard. They learned that he eats such things as 
birds 1 eggs and mice, and that nobody is quite sure 
why he has a peculiar beaded pattern on his skin. 
The design is, as Father said in the beginning, some¬ 
what like that of a Navajo Indian rug. They learned 
that Gila is pronounced " Hee-lali ," because it is a 
Spanish name. G in Spanish is sounded like the 
English H, I like E. 
"Mr. Wilson, Ed like to take one of these home," 
Uncle Ely said. "He is interesting enough to have—" 
Mother spoke up at once, however. 
"Ely Blair, you will not take that thing another 
mile in this car or trailer! If you do, I will walk the 
rest of the way!" 
Ginger slipped her hand into her mother's, looked 
up at her and smiled. 
"I will walk with you, Mother," she said, while 
everyone laughed. 
