Chap. I. THEIR SENSES. 27 



extremely sensitive to vibrations in any solid 

 object. When the pots containing two 

 worms which had remained quite indijBferent 

 to the sound of the piano, were placed on 

 this instrument, and the note C in the bass 

 clef was struck, both instantly retreated into 

 their burrows. After a time they emerged, 

 and when G above the line in the treble clef 

 was struck they again retreated. Under 

 similar circumstances on another night one 

 worm dashed into its burrow on a very high 

 note being struck only once, and the other 

 worm when C in the treble clef was struck. 

 On these occasions the worms were not 

 touching the sides of the pots, which stood 

 in saucers ; so that the vibrations, before 

 reaching their bodies, had to pass from the 

 sounding board of the piano, through the 

 saucer, the bottom of the pot and the damp, 

 not very compact earth on which they lay 

 with their tails in their burrows. They 

 often showed their sensitiveness when the 

 pot in which they lived, or the table on 

 which the pot stood, was accidentally and 

 lightly struck ; but they appeared less sensi- 

 tive to such jars than to the vibrations of the 



BUREAU OF 



AMERICAN ETHNOiXKSY 



is©e 



