208 



(rtnurg of Natural ^ 



pastures, along the moist bottoms of ditches, 

 and burrows after it through the banks of 

 hedges, to which it retires in dry seasons. 

 Secured as the worm appears to be by its 

 residence in the earth from the capture of 

 creatures inhabiting a different element, yet 

 many aquatic animals seem well acquainted 

 with it, and prey on it as a natural food, 

 whenever it falls in their way ; frogs eat it ; 

 and even the great water-beetle (.Dytiscus 

 marginalia) I have known to seize it when 

 the bait of the angler, and it has been drawn 

 up by the hook. Yet, notwithstanding this 

 prodigious destruction of the animal, its 

 increase is fully commensurate to its con- 

 sumption, as if ordained the appointed food 

 of all." 



In White's History of Selborne the valu- 

 able services of the Earthworm are detailed 

 at great length, and with that writer's ac- 

 ccustomed perspicacity. Charles Darwin, 

 F. R. S., has made many interesting obser- 

 vations, which have been thus stated from 

 his published researches : " The burrowing 

 of Earthworms is a process exceedingly 

 useful to the gardener and agriculturist ; 

 and these animals are far more beneficial 

 to mail in this way, than they are injurious 

 by devouring the vegetables set in the 

 soil. They give a kind of under tillage 

 to the land, performing the same below 

 ground that the spade does above for the 

 garden, and the plough for arable land ; and 

 loosening the earth, so as to render it per- 

 meable to air and water. It has been 

 shown, too, that they will even add to the 

 depth of soil ; covering barren tracts with a 

 layer of productive mould. Thus, in fields 

 which have bei 



een overspread with lime, burnt 

 marl, or cinders, these substances are in time 

 covered with finely-divided soil, well adapted 

 to the support of vegetation. That this 

 result, which is commonly attributed by 

 the farmers to the ' working-down ' of the 

 materials in question, is really due to the 

 action of the Earthworms, appears from the 

 fact, that, in the soil thus formed, large 

 numbers of worm-casts may be distinguished. 

 These are produced by the digestive process 

 of the worms ; which take into their intes- 

 tinal canal a large quantity of the soil 

 through which they burrow, extract from it 

 the greater part of the vegetable matter it 

 may contain, and reject the rest in a finely 

 divided state. In this manner, a field, 

 manured with marl, has been covered, in 

 the course of eighty years, with a bed of 

 earth averaging thirteen inches in thick- 

 ness. 



"It is commonly supposed," says Dr. 

 Carpenter, " that the Earthworm may be 

 multiplied by the division of its body into 

 two pieces, each of which will continue to 

 live. This does not, however, appear to 

 be the case with the common species. If 

 it is divided across the middle, when in 

 motion, each part will continue to move 

 for a time ; but only the piece which bears 

 the head will be found alive after a few 

 hours. This forms a new tail ; and soon 

 shows little sign of injury. But if the di- 

 vision be made near the head, the body will 

 remain alive, and will renew the head ; 



and the head, with its few attached segments, 

 will die. There appears, however, to be 

 some species, in which this reproductive 

 power is sufficiently great to produce a new 

 head and body from even a small portion of 

 the original ; so that above twenty indi- 

 viduals have been produced in this manner 

 by the division of a single one into as many 

 parts." 



EARWIG. (Forjwila.-) AgenusofDer- 

 mapterous insects. The common Earwig, 

 generally called in Scotland GOLLACII (For- 

 ficula auric ularia), is about three quarters 

 of an inch in length, and has a somewhat 

 flattened body ; the wings being folded under 

 veryshort and truncated elytra or wing-cases, 

 and the extremity of the abdomen armed 

 with a horny forceps. When alarmed, the in- 

 sect elevates the abdomen, and opens these 

 forceps, in order to defend itself from the at- 

 tack of its enemies. Though not produced 

 quite perfect from the egg, the Earwig re- 

 quires but a very small change before it ar- 

 rives at that state which fits it for flight and 



generation. Its natural functions are never 

 suspended ; from the instant it leaves the 

 egg, it continues to eat, move, leap, and 

 pursue its prey ; and a skin which inclosed 

 a part of its body and limbs bursts behind, 

 and gives full play to a set of wings with 

 which it flies in pursuit of its mate. The 

 places in which they are found are chiefly 

 damp and cool situations, under stones and 

 the bark of trees, among chests and boxes 

 which have been long undisturbed, and in 

 similar haunts. They seem to be as timid 

 as hares, and when disturbed run into the 

 nearest hole, satisfied, like the quadrupeds 

 above named, if they can get their heads 

 under cover, and thus exclude the sight of 

 danger, even when their bodies are fully 

 exposed. Hence, it often happens that they 

 will be found with their heads buried in the 

 bottom of flowers, their forked tails sticking 

 up among the stamens and pistils, so that 

 they might escape the notice of any one 

 but a botanist or an entomologist. 



Mr. Newman gives the following interest- 

 ing description of this insect and its habits: 

 " The Earwig is one of our most common 

 insects ; it is well known to every one, and 

 is very generally an object of unconquerable 

 dislike ; the forceps at its tail, and the 

 threatening manner in which these are 

 turned over its back, to pinch anything of 

 which it is afraid, render it peculiarly dis- 

 gusting. The fore wings of the Earwig are 



