210 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE: 
Ld Tot ER, 2x 2K, 
TO THE SAME, 
SELBORNE, May 20th, 1777. 
DEAR SIR,—Lands that are subject to frequent inundations are 
always poor; and probably the reason may be because the worms 
are drowned. The most insignificant insects and reptiles are of 
much more consequence, and have much more influence in the 
economy of Nature, than the incurious are aware of; and are 
mighty in their effect, from their minuteness, which renders them 
less an object of attention : and from their numbers and fecundity. 
Earth-worms, though in appearance a small and despicable link in 
the chain of Nature, yet, if lost, would make a lamentable chasm. 
For to say nothing of half the birds, and some quadrupeds which 
are almost entirely supported by them, worms seem to be the 
great promoters of vegetation, which would proceed but lamely 
without them, by boring, perforating, and loosening the soil, and 
rendering it pervious to rains and the fibres of plants, by drawing 
straws and stalks of leaves and twigs into it ; and, most of all, by 
throwing up such infinite numbers of lumps of earth called worm- 
casts, which, being their excrement, is a fine manure for grain and 
grass. Worms probably provide new soil for hills and slopes where 
the rain washes the earth away ; and they affect slopes, probably to 
avoid being flooded.* Gardeners and farmers express their 
detestation of worms; the former because they render their walks 
unsightly, and make them much work; and the latter because, as 
they think, worms eat their green corn. But these men would find 
* We scarcely agree with White’s proposition here ; grass 1ands are very much benefited 
by frequent inundations. That worms are great fertilisers there can be no doubt, but at 
the same time in all cases they are not beneficial, as for instance in flower-pots or boxes 
where plants are kept. In pasture lands, however, they do act mechanically, and their 
castings or excrement (earth-worm guano), is often very abundant, so much so as to mark: 
the surface. Mr. Darwin applies the offices of worms geologically by their gradually’ 
covering the surface of land, and concealing loose stones, &c., which, however, may be 
also assisted by the decomposition of vegetable matter; he goes so far as to say, ‘‘ that 
every particle of earth in old pasture land has passed through the intestines of worms, 
and hence that in some instances, the term * animal world’ would be more appropriate 
than ‘vegetable world.’”—(Proceed. Geol. Soc.) It is remarkable after a flood has 
covered the low pastures to observe the numbers of birds, crows, thrushes, herons, gulls, 
that assemble when the water recedes ; the drowned earth-worm is their chief prey. 
