534 THE DEW-WORM. 



strength to dilate or contract their bodies. The 

 annuli or rings are also each armed with small, stiff, 

 and sharp beards, or prickles ; which they have the 

 power of opening out or closing to their body. And 

 under the skin is secreted a slimy matter, which they 

 emit at the perforations between the annuli to lubri- 

 cate the body, and facilitate their passage into the 

 ground. By all which means they are enabled with 

 great ease to perforate the earth ; which, had their 

 bodies been otherwise constructed, they could not so 

 well have done. 



Dew-worms make their casts principally about 

 the months of March or April, in mild weather. — 

 In rainy nights they travel about, as appears from 

 their sinuous tracks, on a soft muddy soil, perhaps in 

 search of food. When they appear at night on the 

 turf, although they considerably extend their bodies, 

 they do not quite leave their holes, but keep their 

 tails firmly fixed, so that, on the least alarm, they can 

 precipitately retire under the earth. Whatever food 

 falls within their reach, when thus extended, such as 

 blades of grass, or fallen leaves, they seem content 

 with it. 



Helpless as they may seem, these creatures are 

 very vigilant in avoiding such animals as prey upon 

 them. The mole, in particular, they avoid by dart- 

 ing to the surface of the earth the instant they feel 

 the ground move. Fishermen, who are acquainted 

 with this circumstance, can take them in great num- 

 bers, by moving the earth in places where they ex- 

 pect to find them, with a dung fork. When, how- 

 ever, they are wanted for fishing, they are perhaps 



