Mohave County miner., 1891-03-14
THE VENOMOUs REPTILE.
1T IS THE "oILA MONSTER" or
ARIZONA.
A Repuislre Looking ObJsct-Its Bits Ba-
iiered to be Followed by Ger
tain Scientific Ek-
animation,

Curiosity, prompted BY the conflict
Ing reports concerning the so-called
Gila monster. caused Mr.. Award j.
Moore, OF New York, 10 send TO
western friend for live specimen. 1t
Was captured near Florence, Arizona,
a town on the Gila river. IL measures
nineteen and half inches in length.
the breadth across the back being three
and a half and the weight seven
pounds. II is most repulsive looking
reptile. The head resembling that oi
large snake. The body is pulled out
like a big pouch, and touches the
ground even when IL stands erect on It's
four black legs, that measure four
inches each. The tail is seven and
half inches in length and about one and
half inches in diameter, being OF the
same size throughout and terminating
abruptly. The mouth Is black, with
tongue OF the same hue, Nat and forked.
II is the one OF the lizard family that
Is extremely poisonous. 1t is known
rs the HelOderlaa hOrridnm by selen-
lists. It's coloring Is like that OF
rattlesnake, black figuring on yellow,
tho entire body being scaly. The
specimen is an exceptionally good one,
measuring within six inches Of the
length Of the largest ever found.
In speaking of Il Mr.. Moore said;
Tourists who spend but a short time
In the several towns Of Arizona hear
very little oil the Gila monster II
they haunt the curiO stores 10 any ex-
tent few specimens may be seen. but
the price asked seems exorbitant 10
the casual observer, and unless he has
previously heard some OF the wondrous
stories told OF the Gila monster IL Is
quite likely that he will depart with
out realizing fully what sort Of
reptile he has seen. But mingle among
the people and one soon hears such
marvellous stories that the curiosity is
excited TO investigate for himself. One
sight OF the hideous monster usually
satisfies the most curious. An Indian
would rather face a howitzer. Both
Mexicans and Indians believe 1t TO be
cross between q rattlesnake and a
lizard. While the head resembles
that of the rattlesnake, Its poison
In some respects il similar to that
OF the cobra. The natives capture
1t by long sapling with a moose
at the end, 80 that ii cannot get
nearer 10 them than three or four
feet They are occasionally sent into
town in that way, lunging and splitting,
TO the terror of the Mexicans and In
dians. Those acquainted with its habits
say that its breath is extremely viru-
lent and from this it receives the ma
tive cOgnomen, escupion (es-coo-pee-
yawn), meaning in English the splitter
Its redeeniing feature is its sluggish
movement. The heavy tail dragging
on the ground tends 10 impede its prog
ress. When travelling over sandy soil
II leaves trail that serves as a warn
ing OF its near presence. As IL is
very slow traveller, 1t may be known
when a trail is discovered that "a Gila Is
not far off. Persons not otherwise in
formed have concluded from its slug
gishness that il Is harmless, but this is
q great mistake. In some case IL Is not
easily provoked; at other times speci-
mems are found that are extremely iFri-
table. The mouth is large and strong.
and often, when enraged, ii will attack
everything within reach.
Not long ago the subject came up
for discussion at a meeting Of the Col
lege of Physicians in Philadelphia.
Drs. Mitchell and Reichart had on hand
live, vigorous specimens. DIR. Mitchell
caused one to attack the edge OF dish,
and some Of the saliva was caught in
watch glass. The poison Of venOmOus
reptiles Is acidulous, but that was
alkaline. A minute quantity was in
jected in live pigeon. which died in
less than nine minutes, although the
poison is very slow. According 10 the
physicians, 'Rattlesnake poison is
bagatelle in comparison On the other
hand s. German of Harvard says that
the stories Of fatality from its bite are
greatly overdrawn. He caused a kit
ten 10 be bit twice by the monster. A
post-mortem examination after the sec
ond bite disclosed no indications OF
poison. Large worms and insects
seemed to die much more quickly from
the bite than when cut in pieces by the
scissors
The people in Arizona most familiar
with the habits OF the reptile admit
that It's bite is very dangerous only
when the monster is enraged, when it
gives OFF a peculiar blaclish saliva