Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-10-12
AN UGLY CREATURE.
The venomous Gila Monster OF
Arizona
Although Many Fabulous Stories Are Told
About tine Strange Reptile IL IL In
Reality Very Fierce and
Deadly.

cerning which much has been said and
lots Of little stories have been written,
but its habits, nevertheless, are not
well known, even where Il is most fire.
quently found. II was no uncommon
sight in former years, says the San
Francisco Chronicle, TO see Mexican
and Indian boys trailing the hideous
things at the ends Of strings along the
streets OF towns and settlements of
Arizona, taking care always TO keep
their bare feet out OF the way Of the
uncanny-loolxing lizard. Sometimes,
too, gila monsters, strapped to board
like planked shad, would be offered
for sale at prices ranging from medic
TO toston (fifty cents), with few or
no buyers. In the event that nobody
wanted to increase his menagerie with
one OF the wicled-looking beasts, IL
was generally stoned 10 death by it's
owners as a protest against its general
uselessness.
Several years ago gila 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 IL
has become somewhat scarce. In fact,
the capture Of one and its transition
TO wire rat trap In the shop Of taxi
dermist in an Arizona town Is consid-
cred worthy Of an item by the local re-
porter. No sooner has the news of the
distinguished arrival been heralded
than IL is gravely inspected by every
tenderfoot In town, who posters its
owner with so many darn fool" ques-
tions 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 TO buy something and
thus recoup the business man for his
loss Of time and the ennui that an
swering greenhorns produced.
Whatever may have been said about
the looks of the gila monster, II is n
fact that II is n repulsive, crawling, un-
canny reptile, perhaps not so ugly as
many another lizard-the iguana, for
instance-but instinctively abhorred
because II is so slow. Flight being a
matter of impossibility with the gila
monster, and AS IL lacks the cunning to
feign death,'it must necessarily as
sumo a 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 q
foot and a half in length are those
most generally brought in. OF this the
big, conical tail forms one-third. The
weight will average from three to 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 TO the head
while it moves something very much
like the rattlesnake's performance.
When attacked the gila monster re-
treats about half his length and
crouches close TO the ground, but rear
ing head and neck in fierce manner,
while black, forked tongue over an
inch in length, darts swiftly out of
mouth abnormally wide and cavernous.
At the same time IL emits hiss, joint
ly with n crealSing noise, which is
made by scraping either its claws,
whichruFFNp pointed and sharp, or the
rougil lcEsAe Of its body upon the
stones Or gravel beneath IL. II this
demonstration fails to repulse the ag-
grcssor the gila monster will not hesi-
tate, when thoroughly angered, to
make snap at the foe, be IL man or
beast But IL will never attack any
thing that it does not require for food
unless FIRST interfered with. II escape
be near in the shape of burro in the
ground or a hole in the rocks large
enough for its acco mmodation, the
monster will discreetly retire from
view and remain hidden until the
enemy has retired.
II the reptile manages to get n grip
with its horny mouth, as hard and cut
ting as that Of swapping turtle and
filled with sharp needle-lile teeth,
upon the yielding flesh of an aggressor,
the vice-lilke jaws can only be pried
apart by great muscular action with
some instrument. The wounds show
all the indication OF blood poisoning
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 incurable is not true, but
help must be obtained quickly, as sew
eral well-authenticated cases have
proved Curiously enough, in the case
OF men who have been bitten, IL was
found that those who were strictly
temperate recovered far more quickly
than those who were in the habit of
taking stimulants. II turned out also
that, unlike many cases in which bites
had been inflicted by venomous snakes
of the North American species, whisky
did not act as an antidote at all, rather
aggravating the symptoms.
A taxidermist of Tucson who has
dissected many OF these lizards, says he
has been unable to discover where the
venom which they undoubtedly inject
into the wounds they produce comes
from In poisonous snakes II exudes
from sacs above the fangs, but in the
! gila monster the closest investigation
has failed TO show any such glands con-
nected with the teeth. Undoubtedly
It is the saliva of the monster, lubri-
eating its sharp incisors, that produces
the chemical change in the blood. For
that reason II is believed that in the
salivary glands the venom will be
/ found, but that is the extent of what
Is known OF the gila monsters danger