Poisonous S2)ecics of Homer hi at Fascoe Vale. 215 



pauncli, there was marked congestion at the cardiac end, 

 wiiile the mucous membrane peeled off, and was distinctly 

 inflamed. There was also considerable scouring of the 

 animal before death. The stomachs of both cows were 

 found to contain a fair amount c>f food. 



The evidence derived from experimenting upon the cows, 

 supplements that obtained from the feeding of the rabbits. 



CON'CLUSIONS. 



To sum up, as far as these experiments go, there are 

 decided indications that the Homcria plant has poisonous 

 properties, capable of causing the death of cattle and other 

 animals, and this conclusion is based upon the following 

 grounds : — 



(1) This plant is stated to be poisonous to cattle at the 

 Cape, its native habitat, by Professor MacOwan, Govern- 

 ment Botanist there, and the probabilities are, that it is so 

 in Victoria. 



(2) Several healthy and lively rabbits were fed upon this 

 ])lant, and with abundance of material they invariably 

 died, while rabbits fed in the usual way remained quite 

 healthy. 



(3) A cow fed U}K)n this plant also died, and the symptoms 

 indicated poisoning. 



(4) Cows fed in the paddock where this Homeria grew 

 died, while those in adjoining paddocks where the plant 

 did not exist, were unaffected. 



That the cows ate the plant was shown, not only by the 

 undigested remains found in the stomach, but from the 

 characteristic seed-like bulbils found there, as well as in the 

 droppings. 



Government Botanist's Description of Plant. 



Baron von Mueller, Government Botanist, has kindly 

 supplied a description of the plant, which is as follows : — 



Homcruc colluia, Vent. — var. miniata. — A native of 

 South Africa. Bulb almost spherical, covered closely by 

 a coating of interwoven fibres, between the layers of which 

 numerous minute readily sprouting bulbils are concealed. 

 Whole plant to 3 feet high, but usually much less, 



