Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-02-01
The Horrible ella Monster.
From the sar, Francisco Examiner

From the San Francisco Examiner.
G. W. Dunn, she queer old white
haired naturalist whose rooms at the
American Exchange Hotel form the
oldest museum of animal life perhaps
on the continent, leaves In Gay or two
for Cape St. Lucas to gather together g.
line of animal life hitherto unknown to
scientists. Hundreds of people have in
the last few weeks called and peeped in
to the old naturalist's strange collection.
There the most horrible reptiles,
tarantulas, poisonous scorpions and the
most deadly insects from the burning
climes of the South are to be found
"Since the world began" said the
gray-haired enthusiast last night, "there
hasn't been but one naturalist at Cape
st. Lucas, and that was thirty years ago.
It is new land, but know there are
some strange things to be got down
there that will startle even the scien-
lists. For twenty years have been
across the deserts and in the mountains,
getting these strangest specimens Of
animal life. And among the oldest in
all my experience is the ella monster.
And yet, throughout the Colorado Des-
ert, especially along the ella River,
you may encounter thousands On the
contrary, too, you may scarcely see one.
The ella monster (Heloderma horidium)f
is almost as thick as your leg and about
eighteen or twenty inches long. 1t has
a head which is pretty near all mouth,
and open cIear back to its ears. The
head is,about as big as half Of cigar
box, set with little, vicious eyes, and,
the mouth is powerfully muscled and
set with tous sharp fangs and lot of
grinders. The color of the monster is,
reddish, with brown spots. 1t hasa blunt
tail, as nearly all poisonous lizards have.
| found these monsters living in the hot
sand. They are not good to fool with
and man who is in the ella monster
business must know what he is about.
One day last June [ pulled up from the
hot desert to little ranch on the Col
orado River. The man who owned the
place had a pet ella monster, which he
kept in g., barrel. He stopped down to.
get him out to show him to me, and
some friendso his who were there, and
the monster shut down on his thumb.
He gripped it so tight in his awful mout
which was like wise, that bis jaws h.
to be pritd open with an iron bar. TIL
man only lived few hours, and died in
terrible spasms. Another man bitten
while [ was down there mas ever since
been paralyzed in the side. Hardly
any body ever gets over a bite from this
terrible animal Now tarantula makes
bad sore but it doesn't kill man. L
have got awake frequently in the morn
ing, while camping out, and found
tarantulas, curled up on the edge of my
blanket. They do that to keep warm,
but if you are. careful about disturbing,
them they will not bite you.
''The horrible reptile called the vina-
groom by the: Mexicans, and meaning
smelling like vinegar ranks next to,
the ella monster in vicious and poison
GUS characteristics. The vinagroom (the
elepholus, exeubiter) is found in the Or
gan Mountains. There is nothing like
it but itself. It is a kind of compound
of scorpion, lobster and three or four
kindred animals. 1t is four or. five
inches long,, Nth long stout claws, and, is,
of notified brown color"