326 APPENDIX. 



than have it dragged from the furrow ; and the portion left behind, 

 like the halves cut by the spade, wriggles with life and energy. A 

 long continuance of dry weather is often fatal to a great number ; 

 the worm creeps from its hole, and dies miserably on the surface. 

 In wet weather too, we often see these worms lying dead in pools of 

 water — "pluvia ejiciuntur e terra" — sodden and macerated, for the 

 death is lingering, and the struggle may endure for two or three 

 days*. "The earthworm is essentially a water-breathing animal; 

 it dies in pure water from starvation, in dry air from asphyxia ; the 

 character of the circulator^ fluids obviously suggests the above infer- 

 ences." — Br. Williams, Rep. p. 180. Anglers, in general, will not 

 use this species for bait for trout f; but it is good to entrap eels ; and 

 salmon and bull-trout, when these are ** out of season," or in a bad 

 condition. Many birds prey upon it ; and it is hunted incessantly 

 by its prime enemy the mole. " Lumbricum terrestrium adeo vorax 

 est indagator, ut si spatulam ferream in humo infiges, et ea terrain 

 quatias, lumbrici hunc esse motum talpse credentes, ad auras subito 

 ascendunt, et superficiei prorepunt. Qua arte, lumbrici facile coUi- 

 gerentur pro usu piscatoris." — Walker, Mam. Scot, in Essays, 

 p. 488. 



White of Selborne has told, in a way better than I can do, some 

 habits of this worm. " Earthworms," he says, " make their casts 

 most in mild weather about March and April ; they do not lie torpid 

 in winter, but come forth when there is no frost;]; ; they travel about 

 in rainy nights, as appears from their sinuous tracks on the soft 

 muddy soil, perhaps in search of food. — When earthworms lie out 

 a-nights on the turf, though they extend their bodies a great way, 

 they do not quite leave their holes, but keep the ends of their tails 

 fixed therein, so that on the least alarm they can retire with precipi- 

 tation under the earth. Whatever food falls within their reach when 

 thus extended, they seem to be content with, such as blades of grass, 

 straws, fallen leaves, the ends of which they often draw into their 

 holes § ; even in copulation their hinder parts never quit their holes : 

 so that no two, except they lie within reach of each other's bodies, 

 can have any commerce of that kind ; but as every individual is an 



* " Earthworms immersed nineteen hours in oil, which is a fluid most destruc- 

 tive to all their race, revived when Spallanzani put them in humid earth." — Tracts 

 by Dalyell, i. p. lii. 



t " These worms are much more brittle than the Blackheads, and are also greasy 

 and unpleasant to touch, even after the most careful purification. They are never 

 used as a bait for trout when others can be obtained, but are the kind exclu- 

 sively used for salmon-fishing in the latter part of spring and commencement of 

 summer. A large bunch is fastened upon several hooks and dropped down a 

 rapid stream : if the fish is there, he is sure to take." — JDr. Geo. Douglas. 



X " Earthworms for the most part retreat deeper into the ground in winter to 

 avoid the cold, but though not torpid are very lethargic and inert, and when 

 touched do not display their usual fear ; these, and slugs, seem, when disturbed, 

 as if half awake out of a profound sleep." — Bellamy's Nat. Hist. South Devon, 

 p. 401. 



§ White is WTong in supposing these substances are for food. The earthworm 

 feeds on earth, — the '* succum terrae pinguem," to use the expression of Aldro- 

 vandus, — " in all probability," according to Derham, '* earth made of rotted roots 



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