Appendix 269 



APPENDIX TIL 



THE BEZOAR STONE. 



Note by Mr R. LYDEKKER, published in 'The Field.' 



In response to the request at the end of my article on 

 " Natural Hair Balls " (' Field,' Feb. 25), two donors have 

 kindly sent specimens of these objects. The most interest- 

 ing are four sent by Mr G. Stallard, of Horton Crescent, 

 Eugby, who states that he took them from the stomachs 

 of chamois. They are shaped somewhat like pebbles with 

 the two lateral surfaces much flattened, and the longer 

 diameter, which ranges between three and four inches, 

 about one-third greater than the transverse diameter. In 

 two of them the outer surface has much the appearance 

 of brown clay, but the other two are coated with a 

 polished layer of a black substance, looking almost like 

 pitch. Internally they are composed mainly of very fine 

 vegetable fibres, some of which look like rootlets, mingled 

 apparently with a small quantity of hairs. 



According to the donor's statement, these balls are not 

 uncommon in the stomachs of chamois, and are known to 

 the inhabitants of the German cantons of the Alps as 

 Gemskugeln. He quotes certain passages from F. C. 

 Keller's work on the chamois, Die G-emse (Klagenfurt, 

 1885-87), to the effect that they are regarded as having 

 wonderful medicinal properties, and as being highly effi- 

 cacious in a number of ailments, such as headache, pal- 

 pitation of the heart, and various stomachic and intestinal 

 disorders. Usually a small quantity of their substance 

 is mixed with a little olive oil into a pill. Further 

 mention of these chamois balls will be found in Mr 



