168 SCOURING OF WORMS. 



minutes in water, to remove all earth and superabundant 

 mucus. Then place them in a dish containing a 

 parcel of horse or cow hair clipped into lengths of six 

 inches, and let them remain among the hair a couple 

 of hours, when they will have cleaned themselves from 

 all extraneous filth. Next dust them over with pulver- 

 ised bole Armenian, to which a very little alum has been 

 added, which will toughen their skins wonderfully in a 

 short time, and finally put them in a bag amongst 

 moss which has been previously well dusted with the 

 same mixture. They will thus be rendered tough and 

 clean in a few hours, and fit for use. 



But when it is intended to preserve them for some 

 time, and they are not immediately wanted, it will 

 be better to allow them to scour themselves more 

 leisurely, in the following manner: After selecting 

 and washing them as above directed, take an earthen 

 jar with a wide mouth, and fill it with well-washed soft 

 moss (the white or pink coloured moss which grows on 

 open heaths is the best, and next to that the common 

 sphagnum), sprinkled well with powdered bole Armenian 

 (which is a friable kind of clay, strongly impregnated with 

 hematite, or red peroxide of iron, and of an astringent 

 nature), previous to its being placed in the jar. Press 

 the moss well down, then place the worms upon the top, 

 and tie a piece of coarse canvas or cloth of any descrip- 

 tion over them, taking care to puncture it so as to admit 

 plenty of air. If the moss is either renewed or taken 

 out and well washed once a week, and the worms placed 

 in a cool place, such as the floor of a cellar, and all the 



