370 ARTICULATA. ANNELIDA. 



" Lands that are subject to frequent inundations 

 are always poor ; and probably, the reason may be, 

 because the Worms are drowned. The most insigni- 

 ficant insects and reptiles are of much more conse- 

 quence, and have much more influence in the econo- 

 my of nature, than the incurious are aware of; and 

 are mighty in their effect, from their minuteness, 

 which renders them less an object of attention, and 

 from their numbers and fecundity. Earth-worms, 

 though, in appearance, a small and despicable link in 

 the chain of nature, yet, if lost, would make a la- 

 mentable chasm. For, to say nothing of half the 

 birds and some quadrupeds, which are almost entirely 

 supported by them, Worms seem to be great promot- 

 ers of vegetation, which would proceed but lamely 

 without them, by boring, perforating, and loosening 

 the soil, and rendering it pervious to rains and the 

 fibres of plants ; by drawing straws and stalks of 

 leaves, and twigs into it ; and most of all, by throw- 

 ing up such infinite numbers of lumps of earth, 

 called worm-casts, which being their excrement, is 

 a fine manure for grain and grass. Worms proba- 

 bly provide new soil for hills and slopes, where 

 the rain washes the earth away; and they affect 

 slopes, probably to avoid being flooded. Gardeners 

 and farmers express their detestation of Worms ; the 

 former, because they render their walks unsightly, 

 and make them much work ; and the latter, because, 

 as they think, Worms eat their green corn. But 

 these men would find, that the earth without Worms 

 would soon become cold, hard-bound, and void of 



