DEATH CAMAS SPECIES, ZYGADENUS ELEGANS. 23 



flowers. Sheep 455 received 5.625 pounds of leaves, stems, and 

 flowers with the result that only symptoms were produced. It seems 

 fair to presume that the lethal dose is about 6 pounds per 100 pounds 

 of animal. 



Comparative toxicity of different parts of tlie plant. — The dosages 

 shown in the table do not give any clear indication regarding the 

 relative toxicity of different parts of the plant. It appears probable, 

 however, that the stems are less toxic than the other parts of the 

 plant, that the bulbs are certainly no more toxic than the other 

 parts, and that the plant is possibly somewhat more poisonous in the 

 bud stage than later in the season. 



Probably no cumulative effect. — In 1915 Sheep 334 received for 13 

 days an average daily dose of 1 pound of leaves, stems, buds, and 

 flowers. The feeding was commenced July 16 and terminated on 

 July 29, when the animal died from choking. The animal was sali- 

 vated July 17, 19, and 20 and seemed somewhat depressed. These 

 symptoms, however, did not increase in the succeeding days. In 

 fact, after July 20 no symptoms were noticed except slight depression. 



In 1919 Sheep 453 received for seven days an average daily dose of 

 2.361 pounds of leaves, stems, and flowers with no effect. In this 

 same year Sheep 455 received 5.625 pounds of leaves, stems, and 

 flowers on one day and on the succeeding day 2.475 pounds. The 

 sheep exhibited symptoms on both days, but was not seriously af- 

 fected, although the dose of the first day was very large, and that of 

 the second greater than the minimum toxic dose. These experi- 

 ments were not numerous enough to form the basis for a dogmatic 

 statement, but they are nevertheless significant, and indicate the 

 probability that there is little, if any, cumulative effect in poisoning 

 by Z. elegans. 



Comparison of dosage with that of Z. elegans in 1913. — In Bulletin 

 125 was reported the poisoning of two experimental sheep at Grey- 

 cliff, Mont., by Z. elegans obtained from the Beartooth National For- 

 est. It was stated that Sheep 199 showed symptoms from 0.44 

 pound of leaves, stems, flowers and some fruit, and that Sheep 185 

 showed slight sickness from 0.66 pound of leaves, stems, flowers and 

 some fruit. Apparently this is a very much smaller dosage than that 

 • in the present work at the Salina Experiment Station. In the experi- 

 ments with this plant at Greycliff, Mont., however, no account was 

 made of the loss of weight by drying. In all the later work careful 

 drying experiments have been made and it has been found that the 

 plants suffer a surprising loss of moisture in a short time. The 

 Beartooth National Forest material was collected July 20, 1913, and 

 used July 28. We now know that it must have lost at least 75 per 

 cent of its weight in that time, so that if we estimate the dosage in 



