102 HABITS OF WORMS. CHAP. II 



generally entered the ground close to the 

 sides of the pot 



A pot was next filled with very fine ferru- 

 ginous sand, which was pressed down, well 

 watered, and thus rendered extremely com- 

 pact. A large worm left on the surface did 

 not succeed in penetrating it for some hours, 

 and did not bury itself completely until 25 

 hrs. 40 min. had elapsed. This was effected 

 by the sand being swallowed, as was evident 

 by the large quantity ejected from the vent y 

 long before the whole body had disappeared. 

 Castings of a similar nature continued to lie 

 ejected from the burrow during the whole 

 of the following day 



As doubts have been expressed by some 

 writers whether worms ever swallow earth 

 solely for the sake of making their burrows, 

 some additional cases may be given. A mass 

 of fine reddish sand, 23 inches in thickness, 

 left on the ground for nearly two years, 

 had been penetrated in many places by 

 worms ; and their castings consisted partly of 

 the reddish sand and partly of black earth 

 brought up from beneath the mass. This 

 sand had been dug up from a considerable 



