Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-04-26
THE CHA MONSTER.
Facts Concerning This Mysterious
and Dreadful Lizard.
\ 1t Is sluggish Reptile But When Sudden
~ Attacked or Cornered spits Dead.
Iy Poison Studying - Captive
by Submitting 1t to Tests.

The ella Monster (HeOdermd hor't'
dunn, which lives in the valleys and
sandy plains of Arizona and Sonora,
is called by the native Mexicans Escup-
ION, which means Splitter" derived
from the Spanish verb escupier, to spit.
1t has at all times given rise to many
seemingly improbable stories, and ex-
cited considerable curiosity: so 1t may
not be amiss to take closer look
at the mysterious object in the light OF
recently-developed facts, and an expe-
rience Of many years spent in the regions
of this animals habitat The lizard
for such it evidently is - varies in
length from fifteen to thirty inches, and
has heavy rounded body, which touches
the ground when the animal creeps
along. unless enraged, when it assumes
q moro erect posture, moves quicker
and begins to spit. Its coloring is like
that OF the rattlesnake, black figuring
on yellow, the entire body being ap-
parcntly scaly, though in reality the
whole skin is composed of small parti-
Giles, closely joined together. like an
acknowledgements of beads. IL Is the
only one OF the lizard family that is eX-
tremely venomous.
Mr.. Paul c. Brown, in q most interest
ing recent article, says that the long
debated question as to the venomous
nature of the ella Monster was brought
up at late meeting of the College of
Physicians at Philadelphia. Drs. Mitch.
ell and Reichart had on hand live, Wig
.orOus specimens OF the lizard. DR..
Mitchell caused one to attack the edge
of dish, and some Of the saliva was
caught in watch-glass. This was first
tested. The venom of poisonous reptiles
is acid, but this was alkaline. A minute
quantity was then injected into live
pigeon, which died In less than nine
minutes. Other experiments were tried
which demonstrated the dangerous char
acter Of the poison. According to these
learned doctors, ''rattlesnake poison Is
bagatel!e in comparison"
The writer's personal experience with
this saurian, which covers o period Of
over twenty-five years, may be con-
densed into the following facts. In
1867, while in the employ Of the United
States Quartermaster Department, ]
was stationed at Fort Wallen-since
abandoned-in the Territory Of Arizona,
on the upper San Pedro river, and hav-
ing considerable leisure time, l occu-
,pied myself frequently in collecting
rtarantulas, centipedes, snakes, campa-
rmochas etc., and studying their habits.
One day during the summer, our mail
rider from Tucson reported to me that
he had met on his .home-trip-in fact
THAT very morning-with horrible ami
anal, at sight Of which his horse SHE'D
precipitately, almost funseating him.
He Quieted the horse, which, although
trembling in every limb, came to q
stand. Before the rider had time to
pull his revolver and take aim, the
strange animal disappeared among the
rocks which line both sides of the road
ut that place. Hedescribed the animal
as about four feet long, and not unlike
q young caiman or crocodile (the rider
was q native Of Louisiana). We had at
the fort several Mexicans, employed as
brick-makers and herders; and upon
their hearing his imperfect description,
they came unanimously to the oOnclu-
sion that he had seen an ecseupiOR; only
they shook, their heads at the alleged
size of the animal, all stating that they
had never seen one exceeding q cara
(thirty-three inches) In length. Z
In the evening. I.called these men to
the oflce, and offered them ,flve'dollars
for live specimen. and half thatamount
for a dead one, not mutilated ito any
great extent On the following Sunday
two Of them started out, and towards
evening brought in ella Monster
twenty-eight inches in length, which
they had lassoed while it was asleep or
apparently so,r the sunny surface OF
. large rock. which allowed them TO
crawl up from behind supperceived and