282 COMMON WEEDS 



animals may occur if they are fed with clovers or 

 sainfoin which are infested with Poppies, and also when 

 they ingest the capsules and seeds with other waste 

 matter from the winnowing or grading of cereals. 

 Cattle have been occasionally injured by eating unripe 

 Poppy-heads when the plant was mixed with clover 

 and sainfoin (Henslow). In the open, however, farm 

 animals are usually safe where Poppies abound, as the 

 unpleasant odour and taste of the plants render them 

 obnoxious. 



Cornevin remarks that cattle poisoned by P. Rhceas 

 exhibit at first symptoms of excitement, shown by 

 continual movement, by pawing of the soil or litter, 

 by increased respiration and a more rapid pulse. This 

 is followed by stoppage of the digestive functions, and 

 sometimes a little swelling of the eyelids. These 

 preliminary symptoms are succeeded by a period of 

 coma, the animal appears to sleep while standing, 

 remaining motionless, and if forced to move walks in 

 an unsteady manner. Soon it falls, and, if a fatal 

 result is likely to occur (which is exceptional), the 

 animal remains stretched out on the ground ; respira- 

 tion becomes slower, the temperature falls, and after 

 a few convulsive movements death supervenes owing 

 to arrested respiration. 



It may be added that the drugs morphine, opium, 

 and laudanum are prepared from Poppies ; the red 

 colouring matter of the petals is also extracted and 

 utilised for certain purposes. 



Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus L.) is an erect 

 branched perennial which grows in " waste places and 

 hedgerows in the South of England, probably natura- 

 lised, elsewhere an escape " (Hooker). It attains to a 

 height of 2 feet. The leaves are abundant, very thin 

 and much divided, with toothed and lobed segments. 



