56 NATUBE-STUDY LESSONS. 



XVI.-THE EARTHWORM. 



Bore holes in three sides of a good-sized wooden-box to admit air. 

 Almost fill the box with rich, moist earth mixed with partially-decayed 

 leaves and stems. Plant in this earth some growing fibrous roots. Collect 

 some earthworms ; leave them on top of the earth. Put the box in a some- 

 what shady part of the school-yard. At times moislen llie top by way of 

 encouraging worms to come to the surface. By this mean'! some satisfactory 

 observations on earthworms can be conveniently made. Earthworms, how- 

 ever, are seen to best advantage in their native home, after a warm rain in 

 early morning or on a dull day. Do not fail to see them when opportunities 

 for such observations occur. 



A. Its Movements. 



1. (a) Dip a worm into water to moisten it.s body and 



then place it on a sheet of paper. Watch 

 its motions. 

 {b) How does it crawl .' 



(c) Does it move with the same end always fore- 



most? 



(d) Gently touch one end with a pencil and note 



the result. 

 {e) Touch the other end and infer which is the 

 more sensitive. 



2. Discover how it is enabled to climb a smooth verti- 

 cal surface. 



B. Its Food. 



3. (a) Discover the kind of food on which the worm 



lives. Try raw meat, cooked meat, onions, 

 cabbage, leaves of plants. Bury portions of 

 these in the box and examine sometime later. 

 {b) Infer a use of the worm to man. 



C. Its Home. 



4. Put two or three worms in a glass of damp earth 

 and observe how they bore their way through the 

 ground. 



