ANIMAL 'MATERIA MEDIC A' 175 



fed from platters, and not given food upon the 

 ground, will eat ashes, apparently to supply the 

 want of this natural digestive. This knowledge of 

 remedies available for animal use is as difficult to 

 explain as the instinct by which they avoid poisonous 

 plants, for even domestic cattle refrain from eating 

 the leaves of the yew tree if they are kept in districts 

 where the tree is commonly found. 



