18 HUMBLE CREATURES. 



doubtless often have noticed, strongly resembles a 

 healing wound, for which it is usually mistaken by 

 the uninitiated. From this portion of the body a 

 glutinous substance, secreted by special glands, ex- 

 udes; and although, as just observed, the worm is 

 hermaphrodite, yet contact with another of its species 

 being necessary for fecundation, the creature leaves 

 its underground haunts at night, and, coming to the 

 surface, adheres by its swelled and glutinous rings to 

 the same rings upon the body of another worm. 

 Through this act, the ova and spermatozoa are libe- 

 rated in each worm from the respective tubuli in 

 which they were contained, and pass into the general 

 cavity of the body ; they there encounter each other, 

 and fructification of the ova is the result. A great 

 deal, however, remains unexplained concerning the 

 reproductive process in the Earthworm, as well as in 

 regard to the development of its young. 



Respecting the latter, we know that the young 

 worm is usually developed whilst still in the ovum 

 within the parent's body; and, what is somewhat 

 strange, it is sometimes bom naked, whilst at others 

 it is enveloped in a hard covering, which subsequently 

 bursts, and allows the young worm to escape (PI. II. 

 fig. 1). This difference in the stages of development 

 when the worm leaves its parent, " depends," we are 

 told, " on the nature of the soil which the worms are 

 inhabiting : in a light and loose soil, the young quit 

 the parent prepared to act for themselves ; but in a 

 tough clayey sod, they continue in the pupal form for 



