208 SHEEP DISEASES. 



Only when the animals are very hungry or the 

 feed extremely scarce will sheep eat it. 



The symptoms of poisoning are insidious, but 

 not particularly fatal. The animal becomes 

 droopy and appears sleepy. Finally, it lies down, 

 and to the inexperienced, the band is minus an- 

 other sheep. However, in a little while, depend- 

 ing on the amount eaten, the victim awakes and 

 trots off as though nothing had happened. 



32. Uncommon Plant Poisonings. 



Occasionally a plant will cause trouble in some 

 locality that is not known generally. Also, one 

 comes into contact with poison cases that have 

 occurred in almost unheard of manners. Even 

 in the west, on one forest range, a peculiar 

 grass, such as "bear grass," may be found on 

 one side of the mountains, causing much trouble ; 

 while on the other side it is unheard of. Many 

 local poisons have not been touched upon for the 

 reason that space forbids. 



It requires often the utmost skill to unravel 

 cases that at first defy diagnosis. Eliminating 

 spoiled food, acute infectious diseases, parasites, 

 nearly all range enzootics can be traced to some 

 poison ingested in the food or water. 



In every case where the diagnosis is shrouded 

 in mystery, the sheep should be moved to other 

 quarters and given different food and water. 

 These two precautions will often work wonders. 

 An investigation can then be made. 



In some parts of the northwest, two plants 



