The Arizona sentinel., 1905-05-10
A Question to Experiment On.
Contributed by H. 3.


Common to this southwestern country
is q semi-transparent lizard. To sci
entists it is known as cOleonyX variega
tus: to MeXicans familiar with it it i:
known as salamanqueja, and to Yuma
Indians as omarconyemeh. Although
the individuals are differently marked
and shaped, there is in reality but one
species. In some the tail is thick and
blunt, in others it is long and attenuat-
ed. The maximum length of this ap.
parently harmless lizard will not ex-
coed four and half inches; more COM
monty it will average but three inches.
The body is profusely marked, but diff
ferent from most of its kindred in that
it has no set figure, but is generally
made up of longitudinal stripes, blotch-
es and cross-bars. While not 1.-THE
dearest little thing in the world" it is
by no means repulsive, and is, appar-
emily as harmless as an earthworm, AND
it is so regarded by scientific investi-
gators, who can find in it's semi-trans-
parent makeup neither poison fang
nor poison gland. This is, however,
not positive proof of its inoxiousness,
the same opinion having for years been
held regarding the ella monster (mor-
ridum suspectum) but in the end poi
son glands were discovered-one on
either side of the lower jaw. 1t is pos
sible that something of the kind will
yet be found in the lizard under con-
sideration. By Mexicans and Indians
its bite is considered to be more deadly
than that of rattlesnake. AS rule
such beliefs have been engendered by
actual results, and there is reason to
think that actual causes have led to
this almost universal distrust of the
little brute. The writer is familiar
with an instance in which the wife of
well-knOwn stockman came near losing
her life through a bite of this kind.
She was at the time Il resident of the
Canoa, and was sitting before an open
fire as the back of which an old mes
quite leg had been placed, when she
noticed lizard on the log. Out of
sympathy she picked it up and thought
Iessly placed it on her bare arm, which
it almost instantly seized and tenac-
iously held to. Pains darted up the
arm and into the SIDE Before medical
attention could be had and the proper
remedies applied the arm, much swol-
len, turned black, and for a time her
life was despaired Of Of course many
excuses can be offered covering cause
and effect, and scientific men are large
ly supplied in that direction, but to the
mind of the average layman the result
ant conditions are less easily explained
away. 1t is a superstition among the
Yuma Indians, as the writer has been
told the name implies, that the lizard
cries like young child. 1t certainly
does make a squeaking noise, but be-
yond that the writer has not heard
them emit cry of any kind. This liz
ard is nocturnal in its movements and
is to be found only in dark places.
Much more might be said of them, but
the foregoing is sufficient unless some
devOtee of science has the needed cour-
age TO permit himself to be bitten by
one with view of determining results
by actual experiment. In that event
the Sentinel will be pleased to publish
results. but because of limited space
we suggest that too many do not try
the experiment at the same time.