Smith. — Xotes on New Zealand Earth-worms. 125 



of black mould is visible. These layers appear to have been 

 once the open laud inhabited by worms, before the forest spread 

 over it. As the vegetation flourished, the decaying matter from 

 it in the form of leaves, bark, and rotten wood, assisted by 

 the actions of worms, made up in time the superficial mould 

 as we find it to-day in forests. The Canterbury Plains, near the 

 north terrace of the Eaugitata Kiver, is covered in some parts 

 with 21 to 4 inches of brown friable mould. It is doubtful 

 whether worms ever existed there in any numbers, as the 

 greater number of various-sized stones lying on the surface 

 exhibit few signs of sinking, and must have remained on the 

 surface for many ages. A few are slightly embedded, while 

 others show a slight impression as if produced by their own 

 weight ; the same will be noticed by many on other parts of 

 the Plains, in passing over in the train. These portions of the 

 Plain are exposed to fierce north-west winds, which blow 

 during the spring and early in the summer with terrific force, 

 down the gorges of the Kangitata and Kakaia Rivers, carrying 

 away the finer mould, and depositing it over the Plains along 

 the eastern or lower side. 



Worms greatly dislike wind, and, so far as I have ascer- 

 tained, do not rise to the surface to change quarters, to feed 

 or pair, during dry or cold windy nights, unless accompanied by 

 heavy rains, when they are sometimes flooded out of their 

 burrows. It is during the spring and summer that worms are 

 most active ; on mild nights they rise to the surface and pair, 

 and can often be seen lying long after sunrise. I am, therefore, 

 inclined to believe that their absence fi'om those parts of the 

 Plains is chiefly due to then- exposure to the dry and fierce 

 " nor'-wester." On some parts slight depressions occur. After 

 heavy rains small lakes are formed for a time, but generally 

 disappear in a few weeks. The mould in such places is much 

 deeper, and worms more numerous, than on the more stony 

 parts. Although in a few places stones are not seen on the 

 surface, they have sunk through the action of worms, and Ue 

 only a few inches below the scanty covering of turf. 



Near the banks of the Eiver Hinds, nine miles north 

 of the Eangitata Eiver, where the thick tussock grass breaks 

 — or a few years ago broke — the fury of the wind, worms 

 begin to be more numerous, and along the sea-board for 

 miles inland the land is deep and strong. It is also com- 

 paratively free from stones, and worms are abundant. The 

 common Acanthodrilus idiginosus was a few years ago the more 

 numerous. Another larger and undescribed species, of very 

 sluggish habits, is found near the edges of permanent swamps. 

 The other species occurring on the Plains are Endrilus annulatus, 

 E. campestris and E. levis, the first-named of the three being the 

 commones . Beneath the great terrace on the north side of 



