342 On the Rain and Drainage - Waters at Rothamsted. 
that quoted in the table ; owing to the loss of part or all the 
water belonging to the storm of August 2-3. The determina- 
tions of nitrates and chlorides for this month are consequently 
somewhat above the truth, the water analysed being stronger 
than the whole drainage of the month ; the error will be least 
with the 20-inch and most with the GO-inch gauge. 
In January 1880, we were disagreeably surprised by finding 
a large worm come through the tap of the measuring cylinder of 
the 20-inch gauge. On testing the drainage-waters for ammonia 
a considerable quantity was found in the water from this gauge, 
and a small quantity in that from the 60-inch gauge, but none in 
that from the 40-inch gauge. The fronts protecting the funnels 
were then taken down. A number of dead worms were found 
on the funnel of the 20-inch gauge, and many worm casts dropped 
from the perforations in the roof. On the funnel of the GO-inch 
gauge two worms were found. The funnel of the 40-inch gauge 
was clean. The whole of the funnels and collectors were 
thoroughly cleaned. Since this time a careful examination of 
the funnels has been made on the first day of each month. In 
seventeen months one or more small worms have four times 
been found on the funnel of the 20-inch gauge, and worm casts 
on seven occasions. On the funnel of the 40-inch gauge a worm 
was found twice, and a slug three times. The funnel of the 
60-inch gauge has remained uniformly clean. The ammonia 
in the waters disappeared immediately after the cleansing of the 
funnels in .January. 
The fact that the drainage-water from two of the gauges was 
at one time plainly contaminated with decaying animal matter 
naturally suggests a doubt as to the nitric acid determinations 
in these waters. Has the nitric acid found been due to any 
considerable extent to the nitrification of this animal matter? — 
and are the quantities of nitric acid consequently higher than 
those of normal drainage-water ? We believe that the consider- 
able invasion of worms during the early winter of 1879-80 was 
a special occurrence, the severity of the frost causing the worms 
to descend further than usual in the soil. The drainage-waters 
had been tested frequently for ammonia (by direct application 
of the Nessler test) both before and after this occurrence, but 
always with negative results. Again, during the last seventeen 
months in which the funnels and collectors have been kept as 
clean as possible, the amounts of nitric acid found have not 
shown any diminution ; indeed, during September 1880 a larger 
quantity of nitric acid was obtained in the drainage than in any 
preceding month as yet recorded. While, therefore, it seems pos- 
sible that, the nitric acid found in the drainage-water of the 
20-inch gauge may have been rather abnormally high during the 
