GLOW-WORMS, EARTHWORMS, SNAILS AND SLUGS. 2Q3 



GLOW-WORMS. 



BY observing two glow-worms which were brought from the 

 field to the bank in the garden, it appeared 

 to us, that these little creatures put out 

 their lamps between eleven and twelve, and 

 shine no more for the rest of the night. 



Male glow-worms, attracted by the light 

 of the candles, come into the parlour. 



EARTH-WORMS. 



EARTH-WORMS' make their casts most in mild weather about 

 March and April 4 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 earth-worms 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 precipitation 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 

 hermaphrodite, there is no difficulty in meeting with a mate, as 

 would be the case were they of different sexes. 



SNAILS AND SLUGS. 



THE shell-less snails called slugs are in motion all the winter in 

 mild weather, and commit great depredations on garden plants, 

 'and much injure the green wheat, the loss of which is imputed 

 to earth-worms ; while the shelled snail, the faptoiKoc, does not 

 come forth at all till about April 10th, and not only lays itself 

 up pretty early in autumn, in places secure from frost, but also 

 throws out round the mouth of its shell a thick operculum 



