In the Western Highlands of Scotland there is a very high incidence of alimentary cancers in cattle. The carcinomas of the upper alimentary canal are found in association with virus-induced benign papillomas, and transformation of papillomas to carcinomas has been observed. Strong circumstantial evidence suggests that the progression to malignancy is due to the interplay between the virus, bovine papillomavirus type 4 (BPV-4), and carcinogen(s) present in bracken fern, which infests the marginal upland grazing grounds. The carcinomas are often accompanied by adenomas and adenocarcinomas of the lower bowels. To elucidate the role of the virus in the transformation process, we have analysed several malignancies of the alimentary canal, and have detected the viral genome in only one case of transforming papilloma of the oesophagus and one case of carcinoma of the tongue. We conclude that, although required for the induction of papillomas, the presence of the BPV-4 DNA is not necessary for the progression to, or the maintenance of, the transformed state.