104 CLASS ANNUL ATA. 



by the animal would be much in this form, B A 



descending at a, and reaching the surface by b. 1 

 It has been said, that the Earth-worm, if \ ' 



divided by the spade or otherwise, will unite \ / 

 again and live ; the foundation for this appears to be 

 the more probable fact, that, when divided, that portion 

 of the animal in which the head is placed may, perhaps, 

 survive the mutilation, and ultimately again become a 

 perfect creature. 



Although worms, after wet weather, sadly disfigure 

 our gravel walks, they are, at the same time, useful 

 gardeners, loosening the earth round the roots of plants, 

 and thus rendering it more capable of receiving the 

 small fibres of the roots. During the Winter they pene- 

 trate very deeply into the ground, and remain, according 

 to Latreille, rolled up in a kind of nest, protected from 

 injury by the discharge of mucus, which is furnished by 

 the pores of their body. 



The Earth-worm appears to have been a considerable 

 favourite with the author of the Journal of a Naturalist; 

 among other remarks, he observes, " There is another 

 creature, and that a very important one in the operations 

 of nature, that is surrounded by dangers, harassed, pur- 

 sued incessantly, and becomes the prey of all ; the com- 

 mon Earth-worm. This animal, destined to be the 

 natural manurer of the soil, and the ready indicator of 

 an approved staple, consumes on the surface of the 

 ground, where they soon would be injurious, the softer 

 parts of decayed vegetable matter, and conveys into 

 the soil the more woody fibres, where they moulder and 

 become reduced to a simple nutriment, fitting for living 

 vegetation. The parts consumed by them are soon re- 

 turned to the surface, whence dissolved by frosts, and 



