A WALK THROUGH AN ENGLI8H LANE. 109 



will take almost any leaf, though they evince strong 

 partiality when they have a choice. Laurel, and other 

 evergreen leaves, they care little about, though, in de- 

 fault of others, they will use one of these. But if a 

 lilac leaf be laid on the ground, the worm is sure to 

 find it out, will reject the laurel in favour of the lilac, 

 and draw the latter homewards. The great favourite, 

 however, seems to be the primrose leaf, for which the 

 worm will desert any other plant. It is curious to see 

 how long worms can make themselves when they want 

 to reach a leaf at a distance, and how thread-like they 

 then become. 



In order to experiment upon them, I have laid 

 leaves with their stalks towards the hole, and always 

 found that in such cases the worm would feel its way 

 along the edge of the leaf, get hold of the point, twist 

 it round so swiftly that the eye can hardly follow the 

 movement, and then whisk it off homewards as if it 

 were moved by a spring. No doubt, if we could dis- 

 cover some means of investigating them, we should find 

 the habits of the worms as interesting as those of the 

 insects. 



Now the dew is collecting rapidly on the leaves, 

 and out come the Snail and Slug tribes from their 

 hiding-places. Evening is the time for shell collectors, 

 as the lantern beams penetrate the dark recesses of 

 foliage, and bring out in bright relief the polished shells 

 as they move among the herbage. Among the chief 

 favourites of the juvenile mind may be reckoned the 



