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Show iv CONTENTS. CHAPTER II. HABITS OF WORMS-continued. Manner in which worms seize objects-Their power of suction-The instinct of plugging up the mouths of their burrows-Stones piled over the burrowsThe advantages thus gained-Intelligence shown by worms in their manner of plugging up their burrows -Various kinds of leaves and other objects thus used-Triangles of paper-Summary of reasons for believing that worms exhibit somo intemgencoMeans by which they excavate their burrows, by pushing away the earth and swallowing it-Earth also swallowed for the nutritious matter which it contains-Depth to which worms burrow, and the construction of their burrows-Burrows lined with castings, and in the upper part with leaves-rrhe lowest part paved with little stones or seedsManner in which the castings are ejected-The collapse of old burrows-Distribution of wormeTower- like castings in Bengal-Gigantic castings on the N ilgiri Mountains-Castings ejected in all counti·ies Page 55-128 CHAPTER III. THE AMOUNT OF FINE EARTH BROUGilT UP BY WORMS TO THE SURFACE. Rate at which various objects strewed on the surface of grass-fields are covered up by the castings of worms -The burial of a paved path-The slow subsidence of great stones left on the surface-The number of worms which live within a given space-The CONTENTS. v weiO'ht of earth ejected from a burrow, and from all 0 • the burrows within a given space-The thwkness of the layer of mould which the castings on a given space would form within a given time if uniformly spread out- The Blow rate at which mould can increase to a great thickness-Conclusion Page 129-175 CHAPTER IV. TilE PART WIUCil WORMS IlAVE PLAYED IN TilE BURIAL OF ANCIENT BUILDINGS. The accumulation of rubbish on the sites of great cities independent of the action of worms-The burial of a Roman villa at Abinger-'rhe floors and wallR penetrated by worms-Subsidence of a modern pavement-The buried pavement at Beaulieu Abbey -Roman vi1las at Chedworth and Brading-The remains of the Roman town at Silchester-The nature of the debris by which the remains are covered-rrhe penetration of the tesselated floors and walls by worms-Subsidence of the floors' rhickness of the mould-The old Roman city of V\7roxeter-Tbiclmess of the mould-Depth of the foundations of some of the buildings-Conclusion 176-229 CHAPTER V. THE ACTION OF WORMS IN TilE DENUDATION OF TilE LAND. Evidence of the amount of denudation which the land has undergone-Sub-aerial denudation-1,he deposition of dust--Vegetable mould, itt; dark colour and |
