XXI. 



MISCELLAIS^EOUS NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



Head at Watford, I8(h April, 1882. 



Zoology. 



The Earth-ivorm. — Darwin, in liis book on ' Earth-worms and 

 Vegetable Mould,' in tieating of the number of worms piesent in 

 the soil, says that he does not think Hensen's estimate of 53,767 

 worms to an acre too high. As from this he does not appear to 

 have actually counted the worms himself, I give the results of 

 some observations on this point. 



Ou the 3 1st of October, 1881, after a slight frost (28°-8), a 

 cubic yard of earth was sifted from four different places; (1st) 

 a vine-border, where 180 worms were found ; (2nd) garden-mould, 

 containing 160 worms; (3rd) a potato-ground, 130 worms; and 

 (4tli) a meadow, very poor land, 100 worms. On the 22nd of 

 December, after a frosty night, a cubic yard of earth was sifted in 

 my own garden, and about 160 worms w^ere counted. On the 4th 

 of April, 1882, Mr. Silvester found 55 worms in a cubic yard of 

 earth at Hedges Farm, St. Albans, the small number being due to 

 the presence of only a foot of mould underlaid by clay (2 feet). 

 On the 15th of April 105 worms were found in a cubic yard of 

 earth from a vine-border. The highest number here recorded, 

 180 worms in a cubic yard, would give more than 800,000 in an 

 acre, the weight of which would be about half a ton. Two worm- 

 casts from Bricket Wood, where I recently noticed an immense 

 quantity of them, weighed 150 grains. 



AVorms seem to be very fond of the smell of coniferous plants. 

 I am told that if the ground is sprinkled with oil-of-fir it will soon 

 be covered with worms ; and also that if after much wind the 

 leaves of the fir are scattered on the ground, a great number of 

 worms are soon to be seen. They use the leaves to line their 

 holes wdth. 



I will now mention some of the uses of earth-worms. We all 

 know that in cultivating the soil the spade is better than the 

 plough or the hoe because it goes deeper and brings up more fresh 

 earth. Worms are constantly bringing up fresh earth from a 

 distance of perhaps four or five feet, and they may bring to the 

 surface in this way from 10 to 18 tons per acre in the year, which 

 must have a good effect. I think also that the worm-holes must 

 do good by letting in air and water. Another use of worms is to 

 form a good food-supply for birds. In dry weather I have often 

 noticed rooks beating the ground with their beaks, and I am told 

 that as worms are very sensitive to vibration this frightens them 

 out of their holes. Mr. Littleboy tells me that rooks feed upon 

 both earth-worms and wire-worms. 



I shall be glad to receive and report to the Society any further 

 information on worms. — Alfred T. Brett, M.D., Watford. 



