98 HABITS OF WORMS. Chap. II. 



first in one way and then in another, until 

 they at last succeed, they profit, at least in 

 each particular instance, by experience. 



But evidence has been advanced showing 

 that worms do not habitually try to draw 

 objects into their burrows in many different 

 ways. Thus half-decayed lime-leaves from 

 their flexibility could have been drawn in by 

 their middle or basal parts, and were thus 

 drawn into the burrows in considerable 

 numbers; yet a large majority were drawn 

 in by or near the apex. The petioles of the 

 Clematis could certainly have been drawn in 

 with equal ease by the base and apex ; yet 

 three times and in certain cases five times as 

 many were drawn in by the apex as by the 

 base. It might have been thought that the 

 foot-stalks of leaves would have tempted the 

 worms as a convenient handle ; yet they are 

 not largely used, except when the base of the 

 blade is narrower than the apex. A large 

 number of the petioles of the ash are drawn 

 in by the base ; but this part serves the 

 worms as food. In the case of pine-leaves 

 worms plainly show that they at least do 

 not seize the leaf by chance ; but their 



