The heloderm, according to M.F.  Sumichrast, inhabits the hot zone of Mexico—­that intervening between the high mountains and the Pacific in the districts bordering the Gulf of Tehuantepec.  It is found only where the climate is dry and hot; and on the moister eastern slopes of the mountain chain that receive the damp winds from the Gulf of Mexico it is entirely unknown.  Of its habits but little is known, as it appears to be, like many lizards, nocturnal, or seminocturnal, in its movements, and, moreover, it is viewed with extreme dread by the natives, who regard it as equally poisonous with the most venomous serpents.  It is obviously, however, a terrestrial animal, as it has not a swimming tail flattened from side to side, nor the climbing feet that so characteristically mark arboreal lizards.  Sumichrast further states that the animal has a strong nauseous smell, and that when irritated it secretes a large quantity of gluey saliva.  In order to test its supposed poisonous property, he caused a young one to bite a pullet under the wing.  In a few minutes the adjacent parts became violet in color, convulsions ensued, from which the bird partially recovered, but it died at the expiration of twelve hours.  A large cat was also caused to be bitten in the foot by the same heloderm; it was not killed, but the limb became swollen, and the cat continued mewing for several hours, as if in extreme pain.  The dead specimens sent to Europe have been carefully examined as to the character of the teeth.  Sections of these have been made, which demonstrate the existence of a canal in each, totally distinct from and anterior to the pulp cavity; but the soft parts had not been examined with sufficient care to determine the existence or non-existence of any poison gland in immediate connection with these perforated teeth until Dr. Gunther’s observations were made, as described by Dr. Wilson.

Hitherto, as noted in a previous article, American naturalists have regarded the heloderm as quite harmless—­an opinion well sustained by the judgment of many persons in Arizona and other parts of the West by whom the reptile has been kept as an interesting though ugly pet.  While the Indians and native Mexicans believe the creature to be venomous, we have never heard an instance in which the bite of it has proved fatal.

A correspondent of the SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, “C.E.J.,” writing from Salt Lake City, Utah, under date of September 8, says, after referring to the article on the heloderm in our issue of August 26: 

“Having resided in the southern part of this Territory for seventeen years, where the mercury often reaches 110 deg. or more in the shade, and handled a number of these ‘monsters,’ I can say that I never yet knew anybody or anything to have perished from their bite.  We have often had two or three of them tied in the door-yard by a hind leg, and the children have freely played around them—­picking them up by the nape of the