Urquhaet.— On the Habits of 'Earth-Worms in New Zealand. 273 



On the lOfck of last July, 3 worms were picked up at half-past 11 a.m., 



and placed in a pot of earth ; 3 more were treated in the same way on the 



18th, but they escaped ten days afterwards. On the 28th there was heavy 



rain up to nearly 9 a.m., when it cleared there were upwards of 450 large 



worms crawling about a favourite portion of the garden walk, within a 



length of 59 yards, all apparently healthy : at 10 the sun shone out ; by 



twenty minutes to 11, most of them had entered some of the old burrows in 



the turf or beds ; a few wandered about, in shady spots, until evening, and, 



with the exception of a few accidentally crushed, none were seen dead. Six 



of these worms were placed in a pot of mould, and 6 in a jar of earth and 



water ; the latter were all dead in 58 hours. August 15th, at 9 a.m., 6 



worms were placed in two pots, and 6 in a jar of earth and water ; in 27 



hours 4 of the latter were dead, the remaining 2 in 40 hours. After 30 



hours of unusually cold rain, on the morning of the 24th August, there 



were about 30 worms on the same portion of the walk, some were dead, and 



many appeared weak and dying. This was an unusual number, although a 



good many dead worms may occasionally be seen in open drains, apparently 



drowned ; probably the weak worms fall in, and are unable to escape. 



What the cause may be that either induces or compels worms to leave 

 their burrows and wander about, under these circumstances, appears not to 

 have been determined ; but, as worms do not habitually come to the surface 

 in any great number— especially in the day time— during continued wet 

 weather, but close after rain succeeding dry weather, it is not improbable 

 that they take advantage of the moisture to seek fresh burrows and food ; 

 the weak and sickly worms succumbing on the road, especially if it be cold. 

 But whatever the cause may be, it is evident as far as New Zealand earth- 

 worms are concerned, that they are not all sick, for on November 1st when 

 the captured worms were let loose— some of them having been incarcerated 

 for 115 days— they glided away apparently in perfect health. 



In regard to worms leaving their burrows at night, Darwin remarks 

 that :— " It has often been said that under ordinary circumstances healthy 

 worms never, or very rarely, completely leave their burrows ; but this is an 

 error, as White of Selbourne long ago knew." Like the British worms, our 

 own generally wander about at night after rain, all the year round ; pro- 

 bably they leave their burrows in search of animal food ; for I have on 

 several occasions seen them, as late as half-past seven, on warm moist 

 winter mornings, gliding with the greatest ease about the trunks of the 

 Eucalyptus, evidently searching for animal matter. I have never observed 

 higher than about 12 feet, but as they are occasionally found in gutters on 

 the roofs of houses, probably they ascend to a greater height, 

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