Blind "worm" — Worm "snake" — Worm Lizard

Aniella pulchra, (Gray)

Colouration.—Brown, or silvery gray; a dark band on the back and a band on each side of the body. Scales often edged with brown.

Dimensions.—Total length, 7 1/2 inches; length of tail, 2 3/8 inches.

Distribution.—Southern California, from San Francisco southward. The majority of specimens are from San Diego County.

Habits.—A burrowing form.

Colouration.—Very variable as to pattern. The head and body are marbled with black and a pale hue, which may be salmon pink, flesh-colour, pinkish, white, or pale yellow. With some specimens the pale hue predominates--with others, the black. The top of the head generally shows considerable of the pinkish or yellowish markings.

Dimensions.—The largest specimen of the Gila Monster that the writer has had the opportunity to examine, showed a total length of twenty-four inches, which is considerably over the average--this being given in the table of measurements:

Distribution.—Desert regions of southern Arizona and New Mexico--the valleys of the Gila River and its tributaries. A few specimens have been taken in extreme northern Mexico.

Small and worm-like. Ears concealed; eyes covered with transluscent skin, and useless. Scales smooth and shining, arranged the same beneath as above; head pointed.

The species looks somewhat like the European Blind "Worm" (Anguis fragilis).

Variations.--A dark, purplish variety is sometimes found. It is yellowish beneath.

A Family Composed of but Two Species--The Gila Monster and the Mexican Beaded Lizard--Both of the Genus HELODERMA Descriptions of the Species--Their Habits

HEAVY-BODIED, vividly marked, and with skin possessing closely set, bead-like tubercles, the two species comprising the family Helodermatidae are quite unique in form and thus easily distinguishable from the other North American lacertilians. They are, moreover, poisonous, being provided with grooved fangs, which appeal much in their make-up to the poison conducting teeth of those serpents belonging to the division Opisthoglypha.

These creatures are the only known poisonous lizards inhabiting the New World. One is confined to southern Arizona and New Mexico; the other is found in western Mexico and northern Central America. The latter species really occurs far south of the limits embraced by this work, but it is included in order to present a perfect outline of this family.

Considerable has appeared in print concerning the poisonous nature of the Beaded Lizards. Different opinions vary to a great degree. Some writers allege that they are but mildly poisonous, with a venom but slightly dangerous to mankind, and these authors are usually men of technical knowledge, but unfortunately given to theory after the examination of alcoholic specimens. Other, and more popular writers, who have actually observed the lizards in the wild state and noted their actions upon capture, declare them very poisonous. And yet there are others, and among them scientific men, who have scoffed at the idea of these reptiles being in any way venomous. Similar assertions have been frequent in relation to certain snakes that are actually dangerous--simply because persons bitten by these snakes have suffered no ill effects beyond a few superficial lacerations produced by the teeth--a condition followed by an emphatic declaration that the particular creature was wholly innocuous. As is usual, such hasty conclusions are of but little or no value and the incident in question may be easily explained. The person bitten was luckily seized only by the solid teeth, with which all snakes are provided, and not by the fangs, as the poison-conducting teeth, with that kind of snake, are situated in the rear of the upper jaw.

But to return to the Beaded Lizards. These reptiles do not always eject their venom when biting. The fangs are on the lower jaw bones, and as they are simply grooved, do not constitute the perfect instruments for the forcible injection of poison as those possessed by the Crotaline (The thick-bodied poisonous serpents-the rattlesnakes, copperhead, moccasin and fer-de-lance.) and Elapine (Represented in the New World by the Coral Snakes.) snakes. Thus it may be understood how accidents have happened, serious consequences avoided and consequent and energetic denials of the venomous nature of these lizards have followed. After years of observation the writer unhesitatingly states that he considers the Beaded Lizards to be dangerously poisonous to man, and should be quite as much respected with that regard as the majority of venomous serpents. As very appropriately in line, he quotes an excellent authority on the poisons of reptiles--Dr. Gustav Langmann: (Reference Handbook of Medical Sciences.)

"The first confirmation of its" (the Gila Monster's) "poisonous nature seemed to be established by the discovery of grooved teeth, about 3-4 mm. long, four on either branch of both maxilla and mandibular. . . . The mandibular appears somewhat swollen, owing to the projection of its disproportionately large, elongated submaxillary glands, whose four separate ducts lead to the base of the above-described grooved teeth. The buccal secretion is whitish, transparent, slightly turbid, somewhat viscid, alkaline. . . . It has the fragrant odour of calamus" (sweetflag). . . . "When biting on a rubber cord an animal yields on the average five to six drops; a large animal once gave twenty-two drops. The saliva dries in grayish-white scales to one-eighth or one-tenth of its original weight.