

BY J. J. FLETCHER, M.A., B.SC. 525 



Some or all of these worms cast on the surface abundantly during 

 and just after wet weather especially in spring and in autumn. At 

 such times also worms may frequently be found on the sin face under 

 logs and stones without the trouble of digging for them ; such situa- 

 tions, because they retain moisture longer, are favourite resorts for 

 them, and accumulations of castings may often be found under large 

 logs, when none are to be seen elsewhere. Last March after heavy 

 rain I dug up a number of worms (L. JVovce-Hollandice), many of 

 which were snugly coiled up in little chambers at the bottoms of 

 their burrows, and this is doubtless the usual way in which they 

 exist during dry periods. Like their European congeners, as 

 mentioned by Mr. Darwin, after heavy rains many worms of this 

 species may be noticed crawling about aimlessly or lying dead, on 

 the garden paths or even on the pavements in the suburbs. This 

 was very noticeable during the early part of this month (June). 



For prolific hunting-grounds for worms, the neighbourhood of 

 Sydney will not compare with the rich volcanic soil of Burrawang 

 and of Mount Wilson. These two localities with Sydney form 

 the angular points of a triangle, of which the two sides meeting 

 at the metropolis are each about 50 miles long, as measured on 

 the map, while the third is somewhat longer. 



Burrawang township is situated on the coach road from Moss 

 Yale to Kiama, at a distance of 10 miles from the railway. The 

 elevation above sea-level is about the same as that of Moss Yale, 

 namely 2200 feet. The district varies from undulating to hilly, 

 many of the hills being still capped with basaltic boulders. It is 

 well watered with perennial creeks, and has an average annual 

 rainfall probably not less than that of Moss Yale (49 inches). The 

 rich soil is due to the decomposition of a sheet of lava which, the 

 Government Geologist kindly informs me, probably emanated 

 from somewhere near what is now Bowral, and over-spread 

 more or less of the Hawkesbury sandstone formation of the 

 district. The great depth of ths rich red or chocolate-coloured 

 soil may be noticed in the road-cuttings, and I have been told that 

 in some places near Robertson it is as great as 25 feet. In one poor 



