72 



MURRAIN WORM. 



"Murrain Worm," caterpillar of Elephant Hawk Moth. 

 Charocampa elpcnor, Wcstwood. 



Ch^erocampa elpenor and caterpillar. 



During the past autumn I received the following note from Mr. 

 Thomas Wade, of Newcastle- West, Co. Limerick, Ireland: — 



" Recently a rather curious case came under my notice here: I was 

 call to see a cow which was suffering. She was standing with her 

 tongue protruding ; there was perhaps a little swelling at the back of 

 the tongue. She was breathing sharply and laboured, emitting a 

 groan at each expiration. She was feverish, with a weak pulse. We 

 gave her a dose of linseed oil, and a few drops of tincture of aconite. 

 She gradually recovered, although it took her four or five days. The 

 farmers, not only here, but all over Munster, seem convinced that this 

 illness is caused by 'a worm,' and from their description it is evidently 

 a lizard, or something akin to it, which is taken up by the animal 

 when eating grass, and thus gets stung. I know of nothing which 

 might do it. . . . I should be very glad if you could give us any 

 advice on the matter. I have not a specimen by me of the ' worm,' 

 or I should have sent it you." — (T. W.) 



Here, it will be seen, we have a definite account of sickness of the 

 animal (giving way to the application of remedies), and also the 

 popular view (to which Mr. Wade does not in the least commit himself 



