THE LIVING WORLD. 
156 
Besides the species above described, there are several others common to the 
United States, such as the yellow salamander of the Alleghanies, the red-backed , 
common to the Eastern States, the two-striped of the Western States, and the purple , 
or aquatic salajnander found in the Alleghany Mountain region, distinguished from 
its congeners by the courage with which it resists the attacks of any, enemy. 
But none of the several species are provided with fangs, and their bite is 
harmless. 
We come now to the most dreaded of the lizard species, viz., the so-called 
Gila Monster (. Heloderma horrida), a native of the desert regions of Mexico, 
Arizona and Lower California. It has only recently come under the notice of 
naturalists, and we may therefore be little surprised to learn that no two writers 
agree as to the 
habits or venom¬ 
ous nature of the 
reptile. To show 
how far apart are 
they in their 
theories, I will 
quote from the 
best authorities. 
J. G. Wood says: 
“As the pointed 
teeth are set as 
in the deadly 
snakes, the na¬ 
tives of Mexico 
believe the rep¬ 
tile’s bite to be 
fatal. This be¬ 
lief, however, is 
without any 
foundation, as 
the reptile really 
possesses no 
poisonous fangs. 
Like some frogs, the heloderma has a penetrating scent, and when disturbed 
it ejects an odorous saliva from its mouth. * * * It attains a length of 
nearly three feet three inches.” 
Opposed to this is the opinion of John S. Kingsley, who devotes consider¬ 
able space to a description of the animal, quoting among other things the experi¬ 
ences of Dr. Shufeldt, as follows : 
* Though the more incredulous scientist has questioned the character given 
this animal by the superstitious Indians and Mexicans, who regard it with the 
utmost fear, maintaining that it possesses venom of a most virulent nature, a 
test was recently made by Dr. Shufeldt, which is of considerable interest. He 
says, in giving an account of an animal at the National Museum : ‘ It was 
in capital health and at first I handled it with great care, holding it in my left 
hand, examining special parts with my right. At the close of this examination 
I was about to return the tellow to his temporary quarters, when my left hand 
GIt,A MONSTER. 
