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Show 74 IIAB1TS OF WORMS. CrrAP. II. but in one of them the worm failed to drag the leaf into its burrow, as it was entangled by other leaves lying near. In anoth~r case a leaf stood nearly upright with the pmnts of the needles partly inserted into a bnrrow, but how placed there was not seen; and then the wonn reared itself up and seized the base, which was dragged into the mouth of the burrow by bowing the whole leaf. On the other hand, after a worm had seized the ba e of a leaf, this was on two occasions relin-quished from some unknown m~ti ve. . As already remarked, the habit of pluggmg up the mouths of the burrows with various objects, is no doubt instinctive in worms; and a very young one, born in one of my pots, dragged for some little distance a Scotchfir leaf, one needle of which was as long and almost as thick as its own body. No species of pine is endemic in this part of England, it is therefore incredible that tho proper manner of dragging pine-leaves into the burrows can be instinctive with our worms. But as the worms on which the above observations were made, were dug up beneath or near some pines, which had been planted there about forty years, it was desirable to CnAP. II. THEIR INTELLIGENCE. 75 prove that their actions were not instinctive. Accordingly, pine-leaves were scattered on the ground in places far removed from any pine-tree, and 90 of them were drawn into the burrows by their bases. Only two were drawn in by the tips of the needles, and these were not real exceptions, as one was drawn in for a very short distance, and the two needles of the other cohered. Other pineleaves were gi vcn to worms kept in pots in a warm room, and here the result was different; for out of 42 leaves drawn into the burrows, no less than 16 were drawn in by the tips of the needles. These worms, however, worked in a careless or slovenly manner ; for the leaves were often drawn in to only a small depth; sometimes they were merely heaped over the mouths of the burrows, and sometimes none were drawn in. I beEeve that this carelessness may be accounted for by the air of the room being warm, and the worms consequently not being anxious to plug up their holes effectually. Pots tenanted by worms and covered with a net which allowed the entrance of cold air, were left out of doors for several nights, and now 72 leaves were all properly drawn in by their bases. |