THE CAUSTIC CREEPER 



Jumbai were occasionally seen in the streets of Nassau, 

 where they were known as 'cigar-tails.' Such depilated 

 animals, although apparently healthy, were considerably 

 depreciated in value. They were said to recover when fed 

 exclusively on com and grass. The new hair was, however, 

 of a different colour and texture, ' so the animals were never 

 quite the same.' One animal was cited as having lost its 

 hoofs as well, and in consequence it had to be kept in 

 slings until they grew again and hardened. The effects 

 of the Jumbai on horses, mules, donkeys, and pigs were 

 regarded as accidental — due to neglect or ignorance. The 

 plant was really encouraged to supply food for cattle, sheep, 

 and goats. The latter greedily devoured it and were not 

 perceptibly affected by it. It will be noticed that the 

 animals affected were non-iiiminants, while those not affected 

 were ruminants. The probable explanation is that the 

 ruminants, by thoroughly mixing the food with saliva and 

 slowly digesting it, were enabled to neutralize the action of 

 the poison and escape injury. The seeds probably contain 

 the deleterious principle in a greater degree than any other 

 part of the plant. It was a common experience that animals 

 introduced from other localities suffered more than the 

 native animals. The latter were either immune or had learnt 

 to avoid the plant as noxious to them." 



That animals resident in a district are not poisoned by 

 plants which are often fatal to sheep and cattle when on the 

 march through it, has been often observed in Australia. 

 The great "mobs" or droves of sheep passing slowly on 

 their travels through the bush to a new district are often 

 poisoned by the Caustic Creeper {Euphorbia Drummondi), 

 " The head swells to an enormous extent, becoming so heavy 

 that the animal cannot support it, and drags it along the 



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