Pocket-gopher 579 



Doubtless all the hearers of this paper are familiar with go- 



the outlines of Darwin's theory that the worms are the makers ma 

 of the black loam. Now, an earthworm is a creature alto- 

 gether unknown in this part of the world ... so the presence 

 of from 10 to 20 inches of the best black loam would seem to 

 stagger the worm theory; but perhaps the Gophers are a per- 

 fect substitute for worms." 



In 1883 I was visited by Miller Christy, and together we 

 investigated a considerable section of Manitoba without finding 

 any earthworms, and satisfied ourselves that they were not 

 native to the region. 



The following year Christy published in Nature'' a paper 

 *'On the Absence of Earthworms from the Prairies of the 

 Canadian North-west," in which he gives many facts showing 

 that earthworms are not native to Manitoba, and says: 



"Further, Mr. Leo Rogers, son of Mr. Thomas Rogers, 

 of Manchester, who has spent several years with the engi- 

 neers of the Canadian Pacific Railway, has informed me 

 that earthworms are unknown between Winnipeg and the 

 Rockies." 



In the Winnipeg reprint •* of this article the editor adds 

 these remarks: 



"In Nature of February 28, 1884, Mr. T. E. Wilcox, of 

 Vancouver Barracks, Washington Territory, says: 'Miller 

 Christy writes on the absence of earthworms from the prairies 

 of the north-west. I can confirm his statements, and extend 

 them to cover the prairies of Kansas, the Indian Territory, and 

 Idaho and Washington Territories. 



" 'At Boise City, Idaho, some enthusiastic disciples of 

 Isaak Walton imported and successfully reared the coveted 

 bait in soil suited to the habitat of the Lumbricula;.' " 



"In Nature, March 27, 1884, Dr. Hy. F. Walker, of New 

 York City, wrote in reference to Christy's paper, 'The obser- 



' Nature, Jan. 3, 1884. ' Rep. Dep. Agr. Man. (for 1SS3), 1884, p. 349. 



PHERS 

 KE 



THE 

 LOAM 



