100 EARTHWORMS 



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 that 

 the earth without worms would soon become cold, 

 hard-bound, and void of fermentation, and conse- 30 

 quently sterile : and besides, in favour of worms, it 

 should be hinted that green corn, plants, and flowers 

 are not so much injured by them as by many species 

 of coleoptera (scarabs) and tipulae (long-legs) in their 

 larva or grub state, and by unnoticed myriads of small 

 shell-less snails (called slugs), which silently and 

 imperceptibly make amazing havoc in the field and 

 garden. 



These hints we think proper to throw out, in order 

 to set the inquisitive and discerning to work. 40 



A good monography of worms would afford much 

 entertainment, and information at the same time, and 

 would open a large and new field in natural history. 



Worms work most in the spring, but by no means 

 lie torpid in the dead months ; are out every mild 

 night in the winter, as any person may be convinced 

 that will take the pains to examine his grass-plots 

 with a candle ; and are very prolific. 



GILBERT WHITE. 



[NOTE. The date of this Letter (xxxv in The Natural 

 History of Selborne) is May 20, 1777. The subject has been 

 carefully treated by Charles Darwin, who is believed to have 

 received from this Letter the suggestion for his work on Earth- 

 worms. Scarabs and long-legs are beetles and crane-flies.] 



EXERCISE 



Re-write the third sentence (beginning 1. 9) in better English, 



