Beaded Lizard, Gila Monster
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Viii Little Foes Of The Trailer
The only other venomous reptile found in the United States is the beaded
lizard, called Gila monster (pronounced heela). Unless you visit the
desert regions of Arizona and New Mexico, you will not be apt to run
across this most interesting though poisonous reptile.
The Gila monster looks very much like a unique piece of Indian beadwork,
with its fat body and stubby legs covered with bright-colored, bead-like
tubercles, which form almost a Navajo pattern. Its length is about
nineteen inches, and its beads are colored salmon, flesh-pink, white or
yellow, and black. Though it has the appearance of being stuffed with
cotton, it is really formidable and very much alive. Its jaws are
strong; when it bites it holds on like a bulldog, and there is no way to
force it to open its mouth except to pry the powerful jaws apart. While
otherwise slow of movement, it will turn quickly from side to side,
snapping viciously. The inside of the Gila's mouth is black, and when
angry it opens it wide and hisses.
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