DEATH CAMAS SPECIES, ZYGADENUS ELEGANS. 20 
0.07 pound of seeds, or almost exactly one-half the dose of the whole 
fruit head. | | 
Drying experiments make it possible to figure the doses of various 
parts of the plant given in terms of dry material. Inasmuch as the 
seeds fed were dry, this is desirable in making comparisons of relative 
toxicity of seeds and other portions of the plant. When this is done 
it appears that with Z. paniculatus the seeds are twice as toxic as the 
fruit heads and four times as toxic as leaves, stems, and flowers, while 
the. fruit heads are about twice as toxic as leaves, stems, and 
flowers. That this ratio does not hold with Z. elegans 1s shown by 
the feeding of 0.463 pound of dry fruit heads and 0.807 pound of seed 
without effect when 0.623 pound was found to be a toxic dose of dry 
leaves, stems, and flowers. In other words, fruit heads or seeds of 
Z. elegans are little if any more toxic than leaves, stems, and flowers. 
Z. ELEGANS NOT ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS FOR SHEEP. 
If sheep were to graze on Z. elegans they would rarely get the 
bulbs, although these can sometimes be pulled up, as the plant grows 
in wet ground and the bulbs are not far from the surface. The feed- 
ing would be largely on the aerial parts of the plant, and of these it is 
thought that the fruit and seeds would seldom be eaten, as they are 
dry and unattractive. Of the parts of the plant likely to be eaten it 
would take from 1.5 pounds to between 3 and 4 pounds per 100 pounds 
of animal to poison an animal and 6 pounds to produce a fatal effect. 
It follows that poisoning from Z. elegans is not likely to occur, as 
sheep would seldom eat so large a quantity. Moreover, Z. elegans 
erows in localities where there is ordinarily an abundance of vegeta- 
tion, so that animals would not be forced to eat it because of a lack 
of other forage. While both Z. gramineus and Z. paniculatus may 
and do cause losses, Z. elegans can be hardly be reckoned as an impor- 
tant poisonous plant; in fact, it is doubtful whether it causes any 
losses on the range. 
SUMMARY. 
1. In preceding investigations of the species of Zygadenus, known 
popularly under the collective name of ‘‘death camas,” httle atten- 
tion has been given to the comparative toxicity of the various species. 
2. Detailed studies of Z. paniculatus and Z. elegans, compared with 
preceding work with Z. gramineus, have shown a marked difference in 
toxicity. | 
3. Z. paniculatus is found to be about one-third as toxic as Z. — 
gramineus, and Z. elegans about one-seventh. 
_ 4. While Z. paniculatus is not so toxic as Z. gramineus, it is a 
distinctly dangerous plant, and is the cause of heavy losses of live- 
stock. Z. elegans, however, while it may poison livestock, probably 
does little or no damage under practical range conditions. 
