62 HABITS OF WOBMS. Chap. II. 



lawn, it is necessary first to brush or rake 

 away the castings from the surface, in order 

 that the lime-water may enter the burrows.* 

 It might be inferred from this fact that the 

 mouths are plugged up with leaves, &c., to 

 prevent the entrance of water during heavy 

 rain ; but it may be urged against this view 

 that a few, loose, well-rounded stones are ill- 

 adapted to keep out water. I have moreover 

 seen many burrows in the perpendicularly 

 cut turf-edgings to gravel-walks, into which 

 water could hardly flow, as well plugged as 

 burrows on a level surface. Can the plugs 

 or piles of stones aid in concealing the bur- 

 rows from scolopenders, which, according 

 to Hoffmeister, f are the bitterest enemies of 

 worms ? Or may not worms when thus pro- 

 tected be able to remain with safety with 

 their heads close to the mouths of their bur- 

 I'ows, which we know that they like to do, 

 but which costs so many of them their lives ? 

 Or may not the plugs check the free ingress, 

 of the lowest stratum of air, when chilled by 



* Ijimdon's ' Gard. Mag.' xvii. p. 216, as quoted in the ' Cata- 

 logue of the British Museum Worms,' 1865, p. 327. 

 ■f ' Familie der Regenwurmer,' p. 19. 



