64 HABITS OF THE BLINDWORM. 



then, and they perhaps may have licked the moistened earth, and so have obtained 

 some little nourishment, though they were never seen to do so, and indeed appeared 

 perfectly indifferent to the milk. 



When I introduced the slugs, the odd little reptiles acted just as their mother was 

 doing, followed the slugs about with their heads, hovered over them, made believe to 

 eat them, and then were quietly walked over by their intended prey, which being nearly 

 twice as big as themselves, proceeded on its course without paying the least regard to 

 the tiny reptiles, whose bodies were not larger than ordinary knitting needles, and easily 

 glided over them, or put them to ignominious flight. 



After they had been in the jar for some time, I fitted up an old aquarium in a manner 

 intended to imitate as far as possible their natural home, building a bank of earth and 

 stones at either end, laying turf in the middle, and planting ferns upon the banks, with 

 moss round their roots. They enjoyed the change very greatly, immediately pro- 

 ceeded to burrow in all directions through the earth and among the stones, until 

 they established a whole series of tunnels through which they can glide at will, and 

 seem to take great pleasure in permeating their establishment at all hours, especially 

 delighting in pushing their way through the moss and then retreating into their 

 burrows. 



On a cold day they bury themselves below the mould, but the first gleam of sunshine 

 that plays among the green fern-leaves brings them from their recesses, and causes 

 them to glide about the moss and turf most merrily. Sometimes, when they are coiled 

 asleep within their home, their bodies are pressed against the glass, and it is curious 

 to see how immovable they will lie in spite of tapping the glass, but how soon they 

 wake up and brisk they become when the glass is warmed. Even a few warm breaths 

 upon the glass suffice to awake them. 



I think that I have discovered another kind of subsistence for the young, but that 

 has only been possible since they have been placed in the aquarium, or rather, the 

 fernery, as it is now. Sundry very minute insects of the dipterous order may be seen 

 flitting about within the glass, probably having been introduced with the turf and ferns, 

 and it is possible that the young Blindworms may contrive to catch and eat these 

 creatures, and derive some nutriment from them in spite of their diminutive size. 



When wild, the Blindworm generally retires to its winter quarters towards the end of 

 August, or even sooner, should the weather be chilly. The localities which it chooses 

 for this purpose are generally dry and warm spots, where the dried leaves and dead 

 twigs of decayed branches have congregated into heaps, so as to afford it a safe refuge. 

 Sometimes it bores its way into masses of rotten wood ; and on heathery soils, where 

 the ground slopes considerably, it selects a spot where it will be well sheltered from 

 the winter's rains and snows, and burrows deeply into the dry loose soil. 



It is singular to see the creature emerging from the ground when the least touch 

 will soil the fingers, and to see how totally free from earth-stains is the bright glittering 

 skin of the reptile, upon which not a particle of mud can cling. I once detected upon 

 the head of my specimen a projection which I thought was a little lump of mud, I having 

 just watered the ferns and turf, greatly to the discomfiture of the Blindworms both old 

 and young ; but upon close examination I found it was only a little pebble which had 

 lodged upon the head, as the reptile came hastily out of its burrow to avoid the water. 

 So quietly did the Blindworm move, that the stone retained its place upon the head 

 for several minutes, and did not fall off until I startled the creature, and caused it tc 

 turn its head rather sharply. 



The Blindworm would be a most useful inhabitant of a garden, not at all repulsive, 

 and, indeed, very seldom seen, its instinct teaching it to remain within some dark recess 

 during the day, and only to come out at night when the slugs leave their earthy hid- 

 ing places, and commence feeding. Moreover, it is very prolific, and needs no special 

 appliances, as is the case with the frog and toad, which require the presence of water 

 to produce and hatch their young, and for the little reptiles to come to maturity. Some- 

 times the number of young is twelve or thirteen, and sometimes there are only seven 

 or eight. The usual average is, however, nine or ten ; and they are very hardy little 

 things, requiring, no care whatever. 



