64 HABITS OF WOKMS. Chap. II. 



during the night ; but I have occasionally 

 known objects to be drawn into the burrows 

 during the day. What advantage the worms 

 derive from plugging up the mouths of their 

 burrows with leaves, &c., or from piling 

 stones over them, is doubtful. They do not 

 act in this manner at the times when they 

 eject much earth from their burrows ; for their 

 castings then serve to cover the mouths. 

 When gardeners wish to kill worms on a 

 lawn, it is necessary first to brush or rake 

 away the castings from the surface, in order 

 that the lime-water may enter the burrows.* 

 It might be inferred from this fact that the 

 mouths are plugged up with leaves, &c, to 

 prevent the entrance of water during heavy 

 rain ; but it may be urged against this view 

 that a few, loose, well-rounded stones are ill- 

 adapted to keep out water. I have moreover 

 seen many burrows in the perpendicularly 

 cut turf-edgings to gravel-walks, into which 

 water could hardly flow, as well plugged as 

 burrows on a level surface. It is not probable 

 that the plugs or piles of stones serve to 

 conceal the burrows from scolopendras, which, 



* Loudon's ■ Gard. Mag.' xvii. p. 216, as quoted in the ' Cata- 

 logue of the British Museum Worms,' 1865, p. 327. 



