igii] Carl L. Aisberg 113 



sufficiently well brought out to Warrant the Statement that more 

 attention should be given to the number of animals, and to their 

 selection. 



A Cage Designed for Metabolism Experiments on Goats 



A. R. ROSE 



{New York Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, New York.) 



In this Station it was found most practical, when using the cow 

 in metabolism experiments, to keep men constantly on the watch to 

 collect the excreta. This method is laborious and expensive, and a 

 smaller animal which could be caged easily was sought as a Substi- 

 tute for the unwieldy cow. For this purpose the goat serves 

 admirably, and it is rather remarkable that an animal with so many 

 qualifications for metabolism work has received so little attention. 

 The goat is of convenient size to be readily handled, and it takes 

 rations and yields excreta of very satisfactory bulk and might very 

 well represent the herbivora in animal experimentation. It becomes 

 quickly at home in the cage and adjusted to the demands of the 

 investigator. 



The cage consists essentially of an elevated wooden box, with 

 gratings in the upper part, to admit light and air. Inside wooden 

 walls are covered by galvanized sheet iron. One side is attached 

 only at the top by means of hinges, and forms a door to admit or 

 remove the goat, and for convenience in milking. 



The floor is a heavy wire screen with wires sufficiently far apart 

 to let all waste pass through, yet allowing five wires for each foot to 

 stand upon. 



Under the screen, at the front end, is a pan to collect any food 

 dropped in eating. Under the rest of the floor is the device for 

 separating the excreta from one another, consisting of two galvan- 

 ized sheet-iron parts, the hopper and the urine pan. This hopper 

 terminates in a trough leading toward the front end of the cage. 

 This trough has at the point of junction with the hopper, an opening 

 in its bottom protected by Strands of wire, by which the düng 

 pellets Coming down the hopper are deflected into a suitable remov- 



