LARKSPUR POISONING OF LIVE STOCK. 13 
forest supervisor as having lost 15 per cent of all his cattle. On the 
Fishlake National Forest in 1915, it was estimated by the forest 
supervisor that there was a total loss of cattle amounting to $15,000, 
one man losing 48 out of a total of 400 head. 
An attempt has been made from reports that have been sent in 
from the various grazing areas to get an idea of the percentage of 
cattle losses. These percentages can not be considered as very re- 
liable, the estimates made varying from 3 to 7 per cent. A con- 
siderable number of the persons reporting make an estimate of 5 
per cent. This is a very heavy toll to take of the stockmen, and it 
is probable that with the exception of the losses from loco poisoning, 
there is no one cause of loss that draws upon the herds so heavily 
as larkspur poisoning. 
The specific examples which have been given have been largely 
from Colorado, but losses occur in most of the summer ranges in 
the mountain regions of the West, and it is probable that the ap- 
parently greater losses from Colorado are due in part to the more 
complete reports and in part, perhaps, to the fact that in Colorado 
there is a larger extent of valuable summer range than in the other 
States. The reports of losses in the United States come from all 
the mountain regions between Mexico and the Canadian line and 
from the Rocky Mountains on the east to the coast ranges on the 
west. Similar losses have been reported from the Canadian ranges. 
The major part of these losses occur in May, June, and early July. 
COMMON NAMES OF LARKSPURS. 
In Europe a number of common names have been applied to the 
larkspurs, names derived either from the morphology of the plant 
or its assumed characteristics. Perhaps the most common name is 
" stavesacre," a corruption of Staphysagria. In England they are 
also known as "dolphin flower," " king's consound," " knight's spur," 
" staggerweed," and "lousewort." In Germany the common names 
are " Bittersporn," " Lerchen Klaue," and " Horn Kummel." In 
France, " pieds d'alouette," " herbe Sainte-Athalie," " fleur d'amour," 
are among the more common names. 
In the western United States larkspurs are commonly known as 
" poison," " poison weed," and " cow poison," while in parts of New 
Mexico the term "peco" is used. In the mountain ranges of the 
West the larkspurs are generally known and accurately distinguished 
by the men who handle stock. Before the plants blossom, however, 
some confuse Delphinium and Geranium, and more fail to dis- 
tinguish between Delphinium and Aconitum. The leaves of the 
aconites resemble the larkspur so closely that, inasmuch as they 
grow in the same localities, it is not strange that they are not always 
