10 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF QUEENSLAND. 



was deemed advisable to water the steers at least about each 

 fifth day. Certain of the animals given water each day were 

 found to drink from nil on cool days to 6 gallons per head 

 during hot spells. The animals offered water at intervals drank 

 freely. 



As already shown, the administration of water has but 

 Httle effect on the consumption of prickly pear by beasts. 

 Nor is it apparent that watering is directly harmful. Although 

 scouring was more marked in the case of the six steers given 

 water daily for thirty days in the second maintenance trials, 

 it was apparently in no way harmful, and these made body 

 weight gains equal to those of the other animals. {See Tables 

 2 and 3.) 



Prickly Pear — Forest and Scrub Growth. 



The view has been held by some cattle-men that the 

 prickly pear sheltered by scrubs is more valuable and nutritious 

 than that occurring in open forest land. During the first 

 maintenance trials the scrub form was for a period substituted 

 for the ordinary forest growth. There was no indication that 

 the experimental animals made any discrimination when both 

 forms were placed before them in the feed-boxes. The two 

 forms have practically the same composition, are apparently 

 of equal feeding value, and were equally utiHsed in the feeding 

 trials (Table 7) :— 



Table 7. — Forest and Scrub Prickly Pear. 



Cow Pear. 



It is a matter of frequent observation that cattle agisted 

 on prickly pear are accustomed to browse certain plants, 

 commonly referred to as "cow pear," to the exclusion of those 

 adjacent. It has been assumed that the preference is on 

 account of distinguishing flavour or instinctive recognition of 

 greater nutritive value. The preferred plant is recognised by 



