Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-06-13
For the Freeman.
Letters on Natural History.
THE EARTH WORM.
By DR.. HIRAM A. CUTTING.

By DR.. HIRAM A. CUTTING.
THE EARTH WORM.
Though common object in every coun-
try, the natural history of the angle-worm
is seldom thought of. Its habits are not
observed, because the eyeless worm lives
in dark underground passages that it
knows so well how 10 form. 1t mainly
subsists on roots and vegetable fibres be-
meath the surface, but for desert it perfO-
rates the ground in the evening, and Sc
lects the tenderesL leaves dragging them
always point foremost into its chambers,
where they are devoured. They penetrate
the ground in every direction, thus render
ing it mellow and fertile, and are believed
by naturalists to be the farmers friend.
This is sometimes disputed, but l believe
on the whole it is very beneficial. Besides
it is very interesting to boys MS bait for
fishes, and is still more so to birds, moles,
frogs, and | might say leeches, us one va
riety subsisls almost entirely upon them
Many cherish IL fear of the earth worm,
believing that it lives in yards, and
feeds upon the dead. Such ideas are su
perstitous, being entirely without founda-
lion This worm cares no more for the
coflined dead than the tiger does for hay,
or the OK for the bleeding gazelle. The
corpse when once laid in the ground sinks
into natural corruption, untouched by any
devourer The idea that buried flesh is
eaten of worms is entirely false. There is
no flesh-eating worm that does not come
of fly, and the egg must be deposited
where the maggot feeds
Earth worms have long cylindrical
bodies without eyes, mandibles or feet
but are made up of succession of rings
as ribs, and back of the band of thicker
muscle, about one-lhird its length from
the head, they have eight bristles in each
ring, short but stiff, and useful in pro-
polling their way through the ground.
When full grown they have one hundred
and twenty rings, and six hundred and for
Ly of these protrudng bristles. Their
skin has many orifces, like the usual
breathing spraeles of other worms, but in
this case they also secrete II lubricating
fluid, which much assists it in its vermicu-
lar motion. This fluid is supplied in a Pc
culiar manner from its digestive canal.
As it has no brain it is supposed it can
have no acute sense, and only the slightest
feelings. Its wrigglng when put on a
hook is from its fixed condition. rather
than pain. On trodden ground there may
be noticed any morning little piles of dirt.
Upon more careful inspection small hole
may be seen upon the edge of the heap.
These little piles show where, during the
night, the earth worm came to the surface
for food, his bristles with their fabrication
bringing up each time some adhering dirt,
which by the motion of the worm in reach
ing for food was crowded all to one side of
the hole. From the least disturbance it
will snap back into its hole like piece of
India-rnbber, Consequently, on windy
nights about trees, where there will be a
slight jar of the ground from the swaying
of the trees. those dirt piles will be larger,
If they lose their hold retained by keeping
their extremity in their hole, they seldom,
if the ground is hard, get back again.
They then fall II prey to early birds, or
else with the coming sun leave just II little
jelly upon the surface, or dried skin not
one ffteth their size. Sunshine is their
deadly enemy.
Though not hermaphrodites, they are
produced by reciprocal impregnation, and
all may become mothers. The egg, il
such it may be called, Immediately be.
comes worm, and grows by the addition
of ring after ring to the caudal extremity
and the new being is at once self.sustain-
ing. While growing they can renew their
eaudal extremity, if Cut off, but not 50 af
ter they have arrived ut maturity,
Their habits are particularly obscure, rs
warmth and light bring dangers from
which the concealment of mother eartI
protects; so their habits can only be
studied at late twilight Or early dawn. As
hey are very timil when they feel a jn
in mother earth, they may often be cap
lured by putting u fork in the earth an(
Earring the il, when in their attempt tc
escape they will come to the surface, anC
may be easily seized.