356 MORBID APPETITE IN SHEEP. 



season, when the stream is increased, it becomes 

 softer. 



It is curious that Mr. Warby mentioned that 

 a number of his cows had " slipped their calves," 

 or miscarried, and thought it proceeded from 

 some poisonous herb they had eaten ; but Mr. 

 Hume mentioned that his cows, which are ac- 

 customed when breeding to devour the earth 

 impregnated with saline particles, " slip their 

 calves," and he could attribute it to no other 

 cause. This occurred also at the farms of Gon- 

 nong, Mut, mut, hilly ; and at all places where the 

 same propensity of licking and gnawing the 

 saline earth, and devouring the lambs, occurred 

 among the ewes, " slipping the calves" oc- 

 curred among the cows ; but I heard nothing of 

 their devouring the young. 



