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OBSEEVATIONS ON INSECTS AND VERMES. 
On tlie 2nd of March, 1777, 1 saw great numbers of ants come out of 
the ground. — Mark wick. 
GLOW-WORMS. 
By observing two glow-worms which were brought into the field to the 
bank in the garden, it appeared to us that these little creatures put out 
their lamps between eleven and twelve, and shine no more for the rest 
of the night. 
Male glow-worms, attracted by the light of the candles, come into the 
parlour. — White. 
EARTH-WORMS. 
Earth-worms make their casts most in mild weather about March and 
April ; they do not lie torpid in winter, but come forth when there is 
no frost ; they travel about in rainy nights, as appears from their 
sinuous tracks on the soft muddy soil, perhaps in search of food. 
When earth-worms lie out a-nights on the turf, though they extend 
their bodies a great way, they do not leave their holes, but keep the 
ends of their tails fixed therein, so that on the least alarm they can 
retire with precipitation under the earth. Whatever food falls within 
their reach when thus extended, they seem to be content with, such as 
blades of grass, straws, fallen leaves, the ends of which they often draw 
into their holes ; even in copulation their hinder parts never quit their 
holes ; so that no two, except they lie within reach of each other's 
bodies, can have any commerce of that kind ; but as every individual is 
an hermaphrodite, there is no difficulty in meeting with a mate, as 
would be the case were they of difi*erent sexes. — White. 
SNAILS AND SLUGS. 
The shell-less snails called slugs are in motion all the winter in mild 
weather, and commit great depredations on garden plants, and much 
injure the green wheat, the loss of which is imputed to earth-worms ; 
while the shelled snail, the ^epeoLKos, does not come forth at all till 
about April 10 th, and not only lays itself up pretty early in autumn, in 
places secure from frost, but also throws out round the mouth of its 
shell a thick operculum formed from its own saliva ; so that it is per- 
