Chap. II. THEIR INTELLIGENCE. 99 



choice does not appear to be determined by 

 the divergence of the two needles, and the 

 consequent advantage or necessity of drawing 

 them into their burrows by the base. With 

 respect to the triangles of paper, those which 

 had been drawn in by the apex rarely had 

 their bases creased or dirty ; and this shows 

 that the worms had not often first tried to 

 drag them in by this end. 



If worms are able to judge, either before 

 drawing or after having drawn an object 

 close to the mouths of their burrows, how 

 best to drag it in, they must acquire some 

 notion of its general shape. This they pro- 

 bably acquire by touching it in many places 

 with the anterior extremity of their bodies, 

 which serves as a tactile organ. It may be 

 well to remember how perfect the sense of 

 touch becomes in a man when born blind and 

 deaf, as are worms. If worms have the 

 power of acquiring some notion, however 

 rude, of the shape of an object and of their 

 burrows, as seems to be the case, they deserve 

 to be called intelligent ; for they then act in 

 nearly the same manner as would a man 

 under similar circumstances. 



I 



