INSECTS AND VERMES. 353 



GLOW-WOKMS. 



BY observing two glow-worms which were brought from 

 the field to the bank in the garden, it appeared to us, that 

 these little creatures put out their lamps between eleven 

 and twelve, and shine no more for the rest of the night. 



Male glow-worms, attracted by the light of the candles, 

 come into the parlour. 



EARTHWORMS. 



EARTHWORMS make their casts most in mild weather about- 

 March and April; they do not lie torpid in winter, but 

 come forth when there is no frost ; they travel about in 

 rainy nights, as appears from their sinuous tracks on the 

 soft muddy soil, perhaps in search of food. 



When earthworms lie out a nights on the turf, though 

 they extend their bodies a great way, they do not quite 

 leave their holes, but keep the ends of their tails fixed 

 therein, so that on the least alarm they can retire with 

 precipitation under the earth. Whatever food falls within 

 their reach when thus extended, they seem to be content 

 with, such as blades of grass, straws, fallen leaves, the ends 

 of which they often draw into their holes; even when 

 pairing their hinder parts never quit their holes, so that no 

 two, except they lie within reach of each other's bodies, can 

 pair ; but as every individual is an hermaphrodite, there is 

 no difficulty in meeting with a mate, as would be the case 

 were they of different sexes. 



I saw a prodigious swarin of these ants flying about the top of some 

 tall elm trees close by my house ; some were continually dropping to 

 the ground as if from the trees, and others rising up from the ground : 

 many of them were pairing; and I imagine thei' life is but short, for 

 as soon as produced from the egg by the heat of the sun, they propa- 

 gate their species, and soon after perish. They were black, somewhat 

 like the small black ant, and had four wings. I saw also, at another 

 place, a large sort which were yellowish. On Hie 8th of September, 

 1785, I again observed the same circumstance of a vast number of 

 these insects flying near the tops of the elms and dropping to the 

 ground. 



On the 2nd of March, 1777, I saw great numbers of ants come out oi 

 the ground. MARKWICK. 



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