304 Transactions. 



in continuous movement — flapping its wings and clawing at space with its 

 feet. Respiration is spasmodic, and the forcible expulsion of air from the 

 lungs is distinctly audible. The pupils are widely dilated — no iris being 

 visible — and the bird is in a state of coma, obUvious to everything, and 

 apparently suffering no pain. In the later stages the head is brought for- 

 ward, the eyes are kept closed, and the movements, which have continued 

 without intermission from the onset, gradually become more and more 

 feeble, and finally cease at death almost imperceptibly. The legs continue 

 in movement longer than the wings. 



With a smaller though still lethal dose the first change is a heaviness 

 and drowsiness, giving the bird a peculiar sleepy, stupid look. The eyes 

 are blinked heavily, and seem to be kept open only with the greatest 

 difficulty. This is succeeded by attempts to vomit, and, if the crop contains 

 anything, by actual vomiting. Then follow tremulousness of the head and 

 wings and sharp spasmodic blinking of the eyes. The head is frecjuently 

 drawn back sharply, and one or other or both wings are involuntarily ex- 

 tended for a moment. These seizures of the head and wings recur at frequent 

 intervals, and gradually become more severe, making it difficult for the bird 

 to keep its feet. In the more severe seizures it is thrown back on to its tail, 

 and sits there for a moment until the clonic movements of the extended 

 wings have ceased. At last the bird is thrown over on to its back, and, 

 with continuous convulsive movement, the case hastens to a termination. 



With non-lethal doses little is to be observed beyond the initial drowsi- 

 ness and tremulousness, and perhaps vomiting and slight convulsive move- 

 ments of the wings. In none of the experiments did any of the birds recover 

 that reached the stage of being thrown over on to the back. 



In none of the birds experimented upon was Christie's observatioii 

 repeated that there is increased frequency of defsecation. 



3. Action on Reptiles. 



The only animals of this class available for experiment were three small 

 lizards of the species Lygosoma moco, the common lizard of New Zealand. 

 They are very small animals, these specimens weighing 4, 5, and 7 grams, 

 and are not very suitable for experiment. 



(Exp. 33.) The first lizard (4 grams) was given a dose 5 mlgm. per 

 kilo by hypodermic injection, and it became convulsed, and died in about 

 two hours. 



The second lizard (7 grams) (Exp. 34) received 4 mlgm. per kilo hypo- 

 dermically, and died four hours and three-quarters later, after showing 

 severe and oft-repeated convulsions. Opisthotonos was well marked, the 

 animal bending backwards till head and tail met. There were also very 

 definite clonic spasms of the limbs. For over an hour the animal was in 

 almost constant movement, contorting itself and twisting in every direction. 



(Exp. 35.) To the third lizard was given a dose of 3 mlgm. per kilo, 

 but beyond exaggerated respiratory movements it displayed no symptoms, 

 and was quite normal on the day following the injection. 



Lizards are therefore affected in the same way as other animals. The 

 lethal dose is between 3 and 4 mlgm. per kilogram. 



4. Action on Aimphibia. 



The frogs experimented upon belong to the species Hyla aurea. This 

 is not the native frog of New Zealand, but has been introduced from Aus- 



