237 



poisoning which I have myself observed on sheep. The plant 

 grows abundantly in low, swampy ground, and should sheep 

 happen to get to it ^^'ith empty bellies it causes the following 

 symptoms : — On the second day after eating the heads are swollen, 

 the ears drooped, and a yellowish discharge oozes through the 

 pores of the skin. On lancing the skin, a yellowish fluid escapes. 

 In a large percentage of the sheep affected, their ears drop off 

 altogether, whilst others again succuuib to its eftects and die. I 

 have seen as many as 500 or 600 sheep lying dead on the camp 

 after feeding on this plant. It has not the same marked effect on 

 sheep with full bellies as it has on those that are fasting. A 

 number of the former, however, will suffer severely from its 

 poisonous effects, and even die. The plant appears to be of wide 

 distribution in the province of South Australia, according to the 

 last published census of indigenous flowering plants, by Professor 

 Tate (Transactions and Proceedings, Royal Society S.A., vol. 

 XII.). Its home is essentially the more arid portions of the 

 province, where, from its green appearance, it must often prove a 

 tempting bait to travelling flocks. 



H. Sutherland. 



Fluorescence op Bursaria spinosa. * 



It has long been noticed that an infusion of the leaves of 

 Bursaria sjnnosa is strongly fluorescent. On examination this 

 proves to be due to the presence of uEsculi^ie, which has been 

 isolated in a crystalline form from the plant, and to which the 

 fluorscence of the bark of the horse-chesnut is also due. 



E. H. Rennie. 



