The Zoologist— September, 1868. 1361 



was observed crossing the brick walk, or passage, east of Westtown 

 School : the mass presented much the appearance of a thin grey snake. 

 This is the third year that these worms have been seen about our 

 grounds. 



" This company extended over a length of about twenty-two inches, 

 with a breadth of from three-quarters of an inch in the thickest part, to 

 about one-eighth of an inch at the head, and one-tenth at the tail ; five 

 or six worms deep in thicker parts. The mode of progression of these 

 singular creatures was by the contraction of an annulus at a time. 

 They had distinct heads, and the motion of each was like that observed 

 in caterpillars rather than that seen in earth-worms. The contraction 

 commenced posteriorly, and was passed forward to the head in the 

 successive rings. 



" They advanced at the rate of four inches in five minutes, the hinder 

 ones working their way over the top of the rest. Those who reached 

 the ground or bricks by thus traversing their comrades' backs seemed 

 unable to proceed, so that their progression naturally assumed the 

 singular shape that drew our attention to them. Occasionally a few 

 would diverge from the mass, near the front, forming another head, as 

 it were; but they would soon return to the general company by 

 crawling back over each other. 



" This observation was also made on the procession which appeared 

 in 1864; i. e. that the hinder ones progressed over the bodies of those 

 that preceded, the whole mass thus taking up in the rear and laying 

 down in front." [This is a much more rational explanation of then- 

 progress than has been offered; we having been left to suppose that 

 the lower stratum of larva? carry the general mass. — E. D. C] 



" To arrive at an idea of their numbers, about half an inch of them 

 were lifted out of their ranks on the point of a knife ; of these ninety- 

 five adhered to it, giving say two-hundred to the inch, or, by rough 

 estimation, 2400 in the party. 



" They were about half an inch long, semi-transparent, with black 

 heads; their alimentary canals were clearly distinguishable by the 

 unaided eye ; the colour of their contents would lead to the 

 supposition that their food resembled that of the earth-worm. They 

 crossed the brick path, conforming to one general direction, but 

 varying to suit the inequalities of the walk. On reaching the grass 

 they immediately buried themselves in the ground. This was 

 observed to happen with a company which was seen here a year or 

 two ago." 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. III. 2 X 



