lings, and that she supposes the squirrels to be her 

 own young. Thus hens, when they have hatched 

 ducklings, are equally attached to them, as if they 

 were their own chickens.] — Observations on Na- 

 ture. 



Selborne. May 9, 1776. 



LETTER LXXVII. 

 To THE Honourable Daines Barrington. 



Lands that are subject to frequent inundations 

 are always poor ; and probably the reason may be 

 because the worms are drowned. The most insig- 

 nificant insects and reptiles are of much more conse- 

 quence, and have much more influence in the econ- 

 omy 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 

 lamentable chasm. For, to sa}^ nothing of half the 

 birds, and some quadrupeds which are almost en- 

 tirely supported by them, worms seem to be great 

 promoters of vegetation, which would proceed but 

 lamely without them ; by boring, perforating, and 

 loosening the soil, and rendering it pervious to rains 



79 



