32 HABITS OF WORMS. Chap, L 



means odoriferous and rancli-coveted kinds 

 of food. 



It may be presumed that all animals which 

 feed on various substances possess the sense 

 of taste, and this is certainly the case with 

 worms. Cabbage-leaves are much liked by 

 worms ; and it appears that they can dis- 

 tinguish between different varieties ; but this 

 may perhaps be owing to differences in their 

 texture. On eleven occasions pieces of the 

 fresh leaves of a common green variety and 

 of the red variety used for pickling were 

 given them, and they preferred the green, 

 the red being either wholly neglected or much 

 less gnawed. On two other occasions, how- 

 ever, they seemed to prefer the red. Half- 

 decayed leaves of the red variety and fresh 

 leaves of the green were attacked about 

 equally. When leaves of the cabbage, horse- 

 radish (a favourite food) and of the onion were 

 given together, the latter were always and 

 manifestly preferred. Leaves of tlie cabbage, 

 lime-tree, Ampelopis, parsnip (Pastinaca), and 

 celery (Aj)ium) were likewise given together; 

 and those of the celery were first eaten. But 

 when leaves of cabbage, turnip, beet, celery, 



