408 ' The Care of Animals 



Animals usually begin to eat the loco plants during 

 the winter and spring, when other food is scarce. 

 Loco weeds remain somewhat green throughout the win- 

 ter season, and, though they do not seem palatable at 

 first, yet animals eating them under force of circum- 

 stances soon acquire the taste, and afterward will leave 

 other food to go in search of them. 



As soon as animals acquire a taste for loco, they lag 

 behind the herd or wander awaj' in search of their favor- 

 ite food. They will often remain hy themselves in 

 localities where loco weed is abundant, and may go 

 several days without water. They crop it close to the 

 ground, often getting a portion of the root. Having 

 acquired a taste for the loco weed, the animal falls 

 awaj^ in flesh rapidly, and, as the difficulty pro- 

 gresses, they become so emaciated that in the last 

 stages they are unable to stand or move about, and, 

 unless otherwise destroyed, die of starvation. In 

 the early stages, there is general sluggishness, diffi- 

 cult locomotion, and a stiff and stilted action of the 

 legs, with trembling of the voluntary muscles. If an 

 animal lies down and then attempts to rise, several 

 efforts may be required, and it may turn a complete 

 somersault before gaining its feet. The head trembles 

 violently, and the animal may hold its mouth open for 

 a time. There is usually a peculiar, vacant stare. The 

 animal receives impressions through the eye, but does 

 not seem to comprehend them, and will often stand 

 for some time staring at a familiar object, exhibiting 

 symptoms of fear, until the true nature of the object 

 seems to dawn upon its brain. Sometimes, although 



