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Show 62 HABITS OF WORMS. CuAP. II. d unn. O0 ' the rn. g1 1 t.' but I have occasionally known ob ~' ec t s t o be drawn into the burrows during the day. What advantage the wor~ d en.v e f rom plugging up the mouths of t.h.e n b urrows w1' th leaves ' &c. ' or fron1 p1hng stones over them, is doubtful. They do not act in this manner at the times when the_Y eject much earth from their burrows ; for thmr cas t1. ngs then serve to cove. r the mouths. When gardeners wish to klll worms on a lawn, it is necessary first to bru. h _or rake away tllc castings from the surface, 1n order* that the lime-water may enter the burrows. It mjgbt be inferred from this fact that the mouth are plugged up with leaves, &c., to prevent the entrance of water during·. be~vy rain; but it may be urged again t tlns Vl~ W that a few, loose, "ell-rounded tones are Illadapted to keep out water. I have m~reover seen many burrows in the perp~nd1Cula~ly cut turf-edging to gravel-walk ' Into wlnch water could hardly :flow, as well plugged as burrows on a level surface. It is not probaule that the plugs or piles of stones serve to • Loudon's' C•anl. )lag.' xv ii. P· 216, a . quoth _in tile ' 'atalogue of the Britisll hluseum Worm ,' 1 65, P· 3 ~ j • CrrAP. II. PROTEC'riON OF TllEIR BURROWS. 63 conceal the burrows from scolopendras which according to Iloffmejster, * are the b' itterest' enemies of worms, or from the large pecies of Oarabus which attack them ferociou ly, for these animals are nocturnal, and the burrows are opened at night. May not worms when the mouth of the burrow is protected be able to remain with safety with tl1eir heads close to it, which we know that they like to do, but which costs so many of them their lives? Or may not the plugs check the free ingress, of th8 lowest stratum of air, when chilled by radiation at night, from the surrounding ground and herbage. I am inclined to believe in this latter view; firstly, because when worms were kept in pots in a room with a fire, in which case cold air could not enter the burrows, they plugged them up in a slovenly manner; and secondarily, because they often coat the upper part of their burrows witl1 leaves, apparently to prevent their bodies from coming into close contact with the cold damp earth. Mr. E. Parfitt bas suggested to me that the mouths of the burrows are closed in order that the air within them may be kept thoroughly damp, and this seems the most • 'Familic dC'r Rcgcnwiirmcr,' p. ] 9. |
