388 DR. W. BAIRD ON MEGASCOLEX DIFFRINGENS. [May 27, 
North Wales, I have had several specimens of the same species of 
worm forwarded to me from a similar habitat, viz. a stove-bed 
for hothouse plants in the garden of Lady Cullum, at Hardwick 
House, near Bury St. Edmunds, in Suffolk. I am indebted to 
the kindness of Mr. Maxwell Masters, editor of the ‘Gardeners’ 
Chronicle,’ for the first intimation of the creature’s existence in 
Suffolk ; and since then, a letter from the intelligent gardener at 
Hardwick House, Mr. D. S. Fish, explains to me the particular 
localities in which he has found this worm, and gives some very in- 
teresting information with regard to its habits and manners. In 
his letter to me Mr. Fish says that he has known the worm for 
about twenty years, and that from its peculiar motions he has always 
called it the eel-worm. This name applies very well to its particular 
wriggling movements, and answers exactly to the description given 
by my first correspondent, Mr. Johnstone, of Machynlleth. Mr. 
Fish says, in the letter mentioned above, ‘I first made acquaintance 
with this worm, twenty years ago, at Glevering Hall, near Wood- 
bridge, in the eastern division of this county. I have only met with 
it there and at this place (Hardwick House). It was found among 
tropical plants, and is limited in its range by the temperature. I 
have not found it among greenhouse plants, and it seems incapable 
of subsisting out of doors. It differs from other worms in the 
following particulars. At night it will come out and travel along 
bare walls and clean stones with great rapidity, and without apparent 
inconvenience. When disturbed it vanishes at once, and is thus 
difficult to destroy. Again, on turning ont a plant infected with 
worms of the common sort, they are readily brought to the surface 
of the ball by tapping or vibrating the mass of earth. We imagine 
that the worms anticipate moles, and so rush to the surface to escape ; 
they thus become a ready prey to us. But these worms, unless 
seized at once, make for the centre of the ball the moment they are 
disturbed, and thus avoid detection and destruction. Again, you 
will observe they differ wholly in the rate and manner of their loco- 
motion. They are also much more destructive. I cannot say that 
they eat the roots: I think not; but they speedily render the soil 
incapable of supporting them in health. They appear to eat out its 
centre stamina, causing it to undergo a species of putrefaction. They 
seem fonder than the common worm of getting down among the 
potsherds and crocks at the bottom of the pots, and they speedily 
work down among them to the complete destruction of the drainage. 
Lastly, the plants show signs of distress sooner under the infliction 
of these worms than any other. The roots decay, the leaves turn 
yellow, and the whole life becomes as it were paralyzed. It seems 
to affect their vitality somewhat as heart-disease affects animal life. 
Every vital function loses force ; and unless the worms are destroyed, 
the contest ends in the destruction of the plant. 
“Tt is most difficult to eradicate this worm. It is evidently of 
foreign origin and is far from common; but once established it 
breeds rapidly in heat, and is uot easily destroyed by the usual 
remedies of lime-water &c.”” 9 Mr. Fish’s supposition that this 
