19IO. A^olcs- 239 



ZOOLOGY. 



The Habits of Worms. 



Ou August I2th, I received froui ]\rr. W. H. Patterson of Belfast, a 

 consignment of worms accompanied by the following note: — 



"This morning (August nth), I came on some worms in what seemed 

 to me an unusual place. I therefore procured a few and now send 

 them. A neighbour of mine had his pond cleared of floating vege- 

 tation — two species of plants at least, of which specimens are en- 

 closed — and brought away one or two cartload.s of the material, which 

 was thrown down on the top of a rubbish heap. This was about a week 

 ago or less. The heap of weed is now dry and brown on the outside, but 

 inside it is quite green and moist. 



"The stufFlies in layers, as it was dragged from the pond, and when 

 these layers are lifted, worms are found in the damp material. If they 

 were not in it when it was carted there, they must have lost no time in 

 making their way all through the mass, and did it in a week." 



The facts are sufficiently curious to justify a few remarks and enquiries. 

 The vegetation was chiefly composed of Chara, but I unfortunately 

 threw it away without identifying the species. 



The worms belonged to four species, viz. — Lttmbricus rubellns, AUolo- 

 bophora caliginosa, Dendrobaena stibriibicunda and Eisenia foetida. 



As the two species first named were represented by adult forms it is 

 probable they had come up from the rubbish-heap into the decaying 

 vegetable matter. The others were chiefly young, and though they 

 are often associated with rubbish-heaps we are well aware that they like 

 to lay their eggs in moist places. The question arises : Were the eggs 

 of these worms in the pond or in the rubbish heap ? The eggs of D. 

 sitbrubiciinda are small, and grass green in colour. In Nilella or Chara 

 they would be unobserved, while the heating of the matter through de- 

 composition would probably hasten development. 



We know so little about the habits of worms, their periods of incubation, 

 &c., that one is fain to use every opportunity of adding to our knowledge, 

 and urging others to make note of any phenomena which may increase our 

 store of facts. I had hoped that there would have been some specimens 

 of Helodrilus oculatus in the consignment, but in this I was disappointed. 



Hii^DERic Friend. 

 Swadlincote, Burton-on-Trent. 



Worms in Pots. 



Nearly every week correspondents refer to the injury done to plants 

 in pots by worms. I am preparing for the Ray Society a monograph of 

 British earth- and water-worms, and it is very desirable that accurate 

 information should be supplied therein respecting the species which are 

 harmful. As our knowledge of this subject is very imperfect, I should 

 be greatly obliged if gardeaers and others would send me specimens of 

 living forms for identification. 



Hii,DERic Friend. 



Swadlincote, Burton-on-Trent. 



