DEATH OF THREE HEIFERS. 
471 
my best thanks. After a careful examination he drew up the 
annexed report, from which it will be seen that the deaths of 
the animals resulted from their having partaken of con¬ 
siderable quantities of the Ranunculus ficaria (lesser celandine, 
or pilewort) with their food. 
The post-mortem examination revealed extensive disease of 
the stomachs and bowels, particularly the rumen, the epithe¬ 
lium of which peeled off with the slightest touch, exposing 
the mucous membrane in a highly congested condition, 
amounting in many places to a state of ecchymosis. The 
omasum was in a similar condition. The small intestines were 
also much inflamed, and the brain congested. 
The following is Mr. Watson’s report :—“ On Thursday, 
April 21st, 1864, by the request of Mr. H. Flower, 
M.R.C.V.S., I proceeeded to Derby, and, accompanied by 
him, made an examination of the different plants growing in a 
field near the residence of W. Mundy, Esq., M.P., about two 
miles from Derby, my investigation having reference to the 
death of three valuable heifers. The field in question was 
about ten acres in extent, and in it five heifers had been kept 
for some months previous to April 12th, all up to that time 
being in apparent health. Between that date and April 20th 
three of the heifers had died. The symptoms in each case, to¬ 
gether with the post-mortem appearances,indicated the presence 
of an irritant poison. From inquiries, I ascertained that the 
day previous to the animals being attacked some of them had 
escaped from the field into a plantation, which formed the 
boundary of a considerable portion of it. Here, however, 
they only remained for a very short time before they were 
discovered and brought back. This circumstance naturally 
gave rise to a suspicion that the animals had partaken of 
something growing in this plantation; and, although several 
plants, such as the Hyacinthus nonscriptus (wild hyacinth, or 
hare-bell), the Arum maculatum (cuckoo-pint), and the Taxus 
baccata (yew), all more or less of a poisonous nature, were 
here found, and the former in considerable quantities, yet a 
most careful examination failed to detect any indications of 
these plants having been bitten, or otherwise interfered 
with by the animals. On the banks of a small stream which 
bounded another side of the field I found small quantities of 
the Cicuta virosa (cowbane, or water hemlock), but this also 
had not been interfered with. In the field itself, besides the 
ordinary plants growing in good pasture, I found consider¬ 
able quantities of the Orobus tuberosus (bitter vetch), small 
quantities of the Ranunculus acris and bulbosus (crowfoot), and 
an unusual large quantity of the Ranunculus ficaria (lesser 
