11 



On several of these ranges it was noticed that the death camas plants 

 had been grazed by some animal. A study of conditions on near-by 

 ranges, where it was known that there had been no live stock that 

 season, revealed the fact that a number of rodents, common ground 

 squirrels among others, were eating the leaves and digging up the 

 bulbs. Ordinarily, if there had been sheep on these ranges and poison- 

 ing had occurred, it would have been seen that the death camas plants 

 had been grazed ; and they would have been blamed for the losses. 



A series of similar observations were made on Peavine Mountain, 

 near Reno by J. A. Longyear who states that the tops of death camas 

 plants are nibbled rather freely by ground squirrels. 



Because of the fact that in the experimental work it took a large 

 quantity of death camas to kill a sheep, a series of feeding tests were 

 made with the most palatable young green weeds and grasses to find 

 out the amount of such plants a range sheep will eat before its hunger 

 is satisfied. 



Two yearling lambs in medium condition were fed a mixture of green 



Figure 5. Foot-Hill Death Camas. 

 Plants beginning growth in early 

 spring. 



Figure 6. The Foot- 

 Hill Death Camas. 

 This plant has 

 been nibbled by 

 ground squirrels. 



grasses and weeds. These animals were fed during a series of days all 

 they would eat in the forenoon and afternoon. The average consump- 

 tion of weeds and grass was four and one-half pounds on each half- 

 day, or nine pounds per day. 



Two old ewes weighing 80 and 90 pounds respectively were put to 

 the same test as the lambs ; and it was found that on the average each 

 would eat a little over eight pounds daily. These tests probably show 

 quite accurately the quantity of green feed eaten by a range sheep in a 

 single day. 



With death camas the experimental feeding tests showed that the 

 smallest amount which will make a sheep sick is between one-fourth 

 pound and one pound. Amounts of one-fourth to two and one-half 

 pounds in each feeding made the sheep sick ; but none died from the 

 direct effects of the poisoning. However, two were so weakened that 

 they died later; one from inflammation and ulceration of the fourth 



