An identification tag applicator comprising: a tag application mechanism; and a tag delivery mechanism adapted to deliver a plurality of successive tags to the application mechanism, the delivery mechanism comprising: a delivery member adapted to engage and force successive tags into the application mechanism; and a tag guide adapted to guide the successive tags into the application mechanism under the action of the delivery member; wherein the tag guide has a first end into which tags are loaded, a second end from which the tags enter the application mechanism, and an internal guide surface adapted to guide and fold at least a first portion of each tag relative to a second portion of each tag as the tag progresses towards the second end of the tag guide, wherein the application mechanism comprises a pair of applicator jaws (18,20) which lie in a first plane, a manually-operated actuator adapted to close the applicator jaws (18,20), and a first biasing member which biases the actuator towards a position in which the applicator jaws (18,20) are open, wherein the delivery member comprises a resilient pawl slidingly supported on a shaft and biased towards the applicator jaws (18,20) by a second biasing member, characterised in that the actuator includes a cam adapted to force the delivery member away from the applicator jaws (18,20) against the force of the second biasing member, and wherein the cam is elongate and has a first end attached to the actuator and a second end remote from the actuator and adapted to act upon the delivery member, and the cam has a first cam surface proximate the first end of the cam, and a second cam surface proximate the second end of the cam, wherein the cam operates in a cam plane, the first cam surface lies at a first angle relative to the cam plane, and the second cam surface lies at a second angle relative to the cam plane, and the second angle is greater than the first angle. a tag application mechanism; and a tag delivery mechanism adapted to deliver a plurality of successive tags to the application mechanism, the delivery mechanism comprising: a delivery member adapted to engage and force successive tags into the application mechanism; and a tag guide adapted to guide the successive tags into the application mechanism under the action of the delivery member; wherein the tag guide has a first end into which tags are loaded, a second end from which the tags enter the application mechanism, and an internal guide surface adapted to guide and fold at least a first portion of each tag relative to a second portion of each tag as the tag progresses towards the second end of the tag guide, wherein the application mechanism comprises a pair of applicator jaws (18,20) which lie in a first plane, a manually-operated actuator adapted to close the applicator jaws (18,20), and a first biasing member which biases the actuator towards a position in which the applicator jaws (18,20) are open, wherein the delivery member comprises a resilient pawl slidingly supported on a shaft and biased towards the applicator jaws (18,20) by a second biasing member, characterised in that the actuator includes a cam adapted to force the delivery member away from the applicator jaws (18,20) against the force of the second biasing member, and wherein the cam is elongate and has a first end attached to the actuator and a second end remote from the actuator and adapted to act upon the delivery member, and the cam has a first cam surface proximate the first end of the cam, and a second cam surface proximate the second end of the cam, wherein the cam operates in a cam plane, the first cam surface lies at a first angle relative to the cam plane, and the second cam surface lies at a second angle relative to the cam plane, and the second angle is greater than the first angle. a delivery member adapted to engage and force successive tags into the application mechanism; and a tag guide adapted to guide the successive tags into the application mechanism under the action of the delivery member; wherein the tag guide has a first end into which tags are loaded, a second end from which the tags enter the application mechanism, and an internal guide surface adapted to guide and fold at least a first portion of each tag relative to a second portion of each tag as the tag progresses towards the second end of the tag guide, wherein the application mechanism comprises a pair of applicator jaws (18,20) which lie in a first plane, a manually-operated actuator adapted to close the applicator jaws (18,20), and a first biasing member which biases the actuator towards a position in which the applicator jaws (18,20) are open, wherein the delivery member comprises a resilient pawl slidingly supported on a shaft and biased towards the applicator jaws (18,20) by a second biasing member, characterised in that the actuator includes a cam adapted to force the delivery member away from the applicator jaws (18,20) against the force of the second biasing member, and wherein the cam is elongate and has a first end attached to the actuator and a second end remote from the actuator and adapted to act upon the delivery member, and the cam has a first cam surface proximate the first end of the cam, and a second cam surface proximate the second end of the cam, wherein the cam operates in a cam plane, the first cam surface lies at a first angle relative to the cam plane, and the second cam surface lies at a second angle relative to the cam plane, and the second angle is greater than the first angle.