62 HABITS OF WORMS. CHAP. IL 



a cylindrical burrow is necessarily much 

 folded or crumpled. When another leaf is. 

 drawn in, this is done exteriorly to the first 

 one, and so on with the succeeding leaves ; and 

 finally all become closely folded and pressed 

 together. Sometimes the worm enlarges the 

 mouth of its burrow, or makes a fresh one 

 close by, so as to draw in a still larger number 

 of leaves. They often or generally fill up the 

 interstices between the drawn-in leaves with 

 moist viscid earth ejected from their bodies; 

 and thus the mouths of the burrows are 

 securely plugged. Hundreds of such plugged 

 burrows may be seen in many places,, 

 especially during the autumnal and early 

 winter months. But, as will hereafter be 

 shown, leaves are dragged into the burrows- 

 not only for plugging them up and for food, 

 but for the sake of lining the upper part or 

 mouth. 



When worms cannot obtain leaves, petioles, 

 sticks, &c., with which to plug up the mouths: 

 of their burrows, they often protect them by 

 little heaps of stones; and such heaps of 

 smooth rounded pebbles may frequently be 

 seen on gravel-walks. Here there can be no 



