SUBTEBRANEAN LIQHT-GIVERS. 35 



The earthworms of Australia attain a large size, — some- 

 times several feet in length, — and have been seen climbing 

 trees. Some casts found in India are a foot in length. The 

 worms evidently live in complete darkness ; but it is known 

 that at certain times, and under certain conditions, they are 

 luminous : so that a state of things may exist under the 

 ground of which we have no conception, and the tunnels 

 of these little creatures may be brightly illumined. We have 

 never been so fortunate as to observe their phosphorescence, 

 but Dr. Phipson says, "I distinctly remember witnessing, 

 when a child, the phosphorescence of the earthworm. The 

 light appeared connected with the mucus that covered the ani- 

 mal's body." And other naturalists have observed the light 

 under certain conditions. 



If they possess this property to a greater extent than we 

 are now aware of, it must be a fatal gift, as the sharp little 

 eyes of the mple, though not remarkable for their powers of 

 observation, would probably catch the faintest gleam. These 

 animals are continually upon the forage ; and their appetites 

 can be imagined from an actual experiment, which showed 

 that two moles devoured in nine daj'S 341 grubs, 193 

 earth-worms, 25 caterpillars, and a mouse, — skin, bones, 

 and all! 



In the ocean depths we find that the marine worms, which 

 constitute in the beauty of their appearance a magnificent 

 assemblage, tunnel the upper crust of the bottom. Some 

 years ago the moat or ditch surrounding f'ort Jefferson, 

 Fla., was pumped out, leaving a space nearly half a mile in 

 extent, high and dry, which abounded in specimens tliat 

 would have delighted the eyes of a specialist in any branch. 

 Over this spot we had .often, as a lad, enjoyed the venture- 



