Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-09-22
The Famed venomous ella Mon
ster Of Arizona
VERY FIERCE AND DEADLY
Aithoagh Many OF the stories Told CT
The Noted Reptile Are for the
Most Part F.baioa<

We'll known. even where II - most ire
qeeutiy found. IL was NO uncommon
sight In former ycsrs. says the san
Francisco Chronicle. Co see Mexican
snd Indian boys trailing the hideous
things at the ends of strings along the
streets Of towns and settlements OF
Arizona. taking care always 20 keep
their bare feet out of the way Of the
uneanny-looking lizard Sometimes.
TOO. gila monsters, strapped to a board
like planksd shad. would DO offered
for sale 1t prices ranging fron medic
ID . toston (hfty eentsl, with few or
no buyers In the event that nobody
wanted TO increase his menageric with
one OF the wiched-looking beasts. II
was generally stoned TO death by its
owners ~ protest against its general
uselessness-
Several years ago gfia monsters be-
came somewhat In demand for eastern
collectors. and stuffed or In the flesh
they command better prices now. large
specimens presumably wanted for
geological gardens. being paid for at
good figures Strangely enough, since
the interest in the reptile has grown it
has become somewhat scarce. In fact,
the capture of one and It's transition
10 n wire rat trap In the shop Of a taxi
de-mist In an Arizona town Is consid-
cred worthy of an item by the local re-
porter. No sooner has the news of tho
distinguished arrival been heralded
than IL Is gravely inspected by every
tenderfoot in town. who posters its
owner with SO many darn fool" ques-
tons that he is glad to hide his ac-
QUESTION in the back yard
Most of the fabulous stories circu-
lated about the gila monster have had
their origin in the minds of the curio
sellers, who were thus bored TO death
by the seeker after information who
was not willing 10 buy something ard
thus recoup the business man for his
loss of time and the cnnui that an
swering grcenhorns produced.
Whatever may have been said about
the looks OF the gila monster, it is a
fact that IL Is a repulsive, crawling. I'M
canny reptile, perhaps not SO ugly as
many another lizard-thc iguana, for
instance--but instinctively abhorred
because II is so slow. Flight being a
matter of impossibility with the gila
monster, anu as IL lacks the cunning to
feign death, IL must necessarily as
sumo q bold front when threatened
with capture or injury.
The length of the monsters usually
captured varies from one foot to two
feet and = few inches. but specimens
foot and n half in length are those
most generally brought ia. Of this the
big. conical tail forms one-third. The
weight viii average from three 10 five
pounds. The head is more lance
shaped than that of any other lizard
found in Arizona, the consequence be-
ing that the narrow neck Is very pro-
nounced and imparts 20 the head
while IL moves something very much
like the rattlesnalSe's performances
When attacked the gila monster re-
treats about half his length and
ing head and neck in fierce manner.
while black. forlSed tongue over an
inch in length. darts swiftly out Of a
mouth abnorlnally wide and cavernous.
At the same time il emits hiss. joint
" with a crealxing noise. which is
made By scraping either its claws.
which are pointed and sharp. or the
rough scales of It's body upon the
stones or gravel beneath il. IL this
demonstration fails 10 rcpulse the az
gressor the gila monster will not hest
tate. when thoroughly angercd, To
make snap at the foe. be IL man or
beast But IL will never attack any
thing that IL does not require for food
unless first interfered with IL escape
be near In the shape of n burro in the
ground or a hole In the rocks large
enough for It's acco rnmodstion. the
monster will discreetly retire from
view and remain hidden until the
enemy has retired
IL the reptile manages to get grip
with It's horny mouth. as hard and cut
ting as that of swapping turtle and
filled with sharp needle-like teeth.
upon the yielding flesh Of an aggrcssor,
the vice-lixe jaws can only be pricd
apart by great muscular acton with
some instrument The wounds show
all the indication of blood poisoaing
by means Of venom. the limbs swell.
failure OF the nervous system becomes
apparent. and death may ensue, unless
prompt medical assistance brings re-
lief
The story that the bite of the gila
monster Is incurablc II not true. but
help must b. obtained quickly. as sew
erai well-authenticated cases havu
proved Curiously enough. In the case
Of men who have been bitten. IL was
found that those who we're strictly
temperate recovered far none quickly
than those who were in the habit 81
taking ssinsulants- IL turned out also
that. unlike many cases In which bites
had been inflicted by venorDous snakes
Of the North American species, whSsk y
did not act a. an antidote at all. rather
sgsravating the symptoms.
A taxidermist of Tucson who has
dIsseetsd many n these lizards. says he
has been unable ~ discover where thu
venom which they undoubtedly inject
into the wounds they produce corn.s
fran. In poi.onou. snakes. n exndss
from saos above the faags. but In he
/ Fila monster The closest Investigation
has fsilesi - slaow arr sueh ss~r-ls con-
n<cted with the teeth rndoubsediy
n is Che ssfive % the monster. iuhrt-
eating fts sharp incs>crs. that prosfuee-
the chemical change In The hiocd For
that rea.cn "a h believed that IA th>
seliesfy eisuds sh@ venom will -
found. bns that - th~ ess~nt 81 what