THOSE HORRID EARWIGS 



135 



the ground (being a cave-dweller, not an exca- 

 vator), and is particularly fond of following the 

 disused burrows of earth-worms. You must re- 

 member that the surface-soil is literally honey- 

 combed with burrows of worms, which are not 

 mere holes, but neat small tubes, cylindrical in 

 outline, carefully 

 engineered, and 

 lined throughout 

 with a layer of 

 fine earth, as 

 solid asconcrete. 

 The mouth of 

 the burrow is 

 also frequently 

 papered with 

 dead leaves, ce- 

 mented to the 

 wall by a sticky 

 secretion from 

 the worm's body. 

 These under- 

 ground tunnels 

 often penetrate 

 the earth to a 



depth of many inches, and occasionally go down as 

 much as six or seven feet. They thus form excel- 

 lent approaches or adits, which the earwig can use in 

 prospecting a suitable cranny for her own nursery. 

 If you ask why the worm does not expel the 

 intruder, or stick up a notice to say that trespassers 

 will be prosecuted, I would point out in reply 



NO. IO. THE PROCESS CONTINUED. 



