The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-16
THE ORDINARY EARTHwoRM.
He Has no Eyes, Feeds mt Night. and
Dies In soil without Moisture.

From knowledge
Tho common earthworm. despised by
man and heedlessly trodden under foot.
fultils "A part in nature that would seem
incredible. but for the facts revealed by
the patient and long-continued researches
of Darwin Worms" said Darwin.
"have played a more important part in
the history of the world than most per-
sons would at first suppose" Let us fol-
low Darwin and see how this apparently
insignificant creature has changed the
face of nature. We Will first consider the
habits and mode of life OF the earthworm.
As every one knows, the worms live in
burrows i'm the superficial layer Of the
ground. They can live anywhere in a
layer of earth, provided il retains mois-
ture, dry air being fatal TO them. They
can, on the other hand, exist submerged
I'm water for several months They i've
chiefly in the superficial moulds less than
foot below the surface, hut In long
continued dry weather and In very cold
seasons they may burrOW TO depth or
eight feet The burrows are lined by a
thin layer of earth, Voidcd by the worms
and end in small chambers In which they
can turn round.
The burrows are formed partly 10y push
ing away the earth. but chiefly by the
earth being swallowed. Large quantities
Of earth are swallowed by the worms Tor
the sake of the decomposlng vegetable
matter contained In it, on which they Feed
The earth thus swallowed Is Noided in
spiral heaps, forming the worm thStlhks
In this case the worm obtains food ana
at the same time eXcavates its burrows
In addition to the food thus obtained,
half-decayed leaves are dragged into the
burrows mainly for food, nut also to
plug the mouths of the burrows for the
sake Of protection. Worms are also roma
eat the dead bodies of their relatives
They are nocturnal i'm habit, remaining
as p rule in the burrows during the daA
and coming out Ia feed al night.
h.. fIrrt faftff hsa. IN q T
facted bN stroug light " exposed 10 % iot
some. time u has no SENSE at hearing.
but - sensitive to thr vibrations of sotiiio.
The whole body a. SENSITIVE u lou' ~
There appears to be some sense OF smell.
but this ls limited TO certain articles Of
food which are discovered by the worm
when buried ia earth, IN preference to
other bodies not relishcd. The worm ap-
pears 10 have some degree of intrlli-
gence from the way In which II draws
the leaves into its burrows, always Juug-
ing which is the best end to draw them
in by. This is remarkable in so loWly
organized an animal being degree Of
intelligence not possessed by many ami
mails of more complex organization. For
INSTANCE, the ant can often be seen drag
ging objects along traversely instead OF
taking them TO the easiest way.
As we have seen. vast quantities or
earth are being continually passed through
the bodies of the worms and Volded on
the surface as castings. When It Is
stated that the number of worms in an
acre of ordinary land suitable for them
! to live in is 5000, we can imagine the
great effect which they must have on the
1 soil.
They are in fact, continually pIoughing
/ the land. AT one part of the alimetary
| canal Of the worm is a gizard. or hard
muscular organ capable of grinding food
/ into fine particles; II is this gizzard
which is the main factor in triturating
the soil, and II is aided by small stones
swallowed with the earth, which act as
! millstones.
/ In consequence of the immense amount
of earth continually being brought to the
] surface by worms II is not difficult to
understand how objects, such as stones,
rocks. etc, lying on the surface Will In
/ course of time become gradually buried
in the ground. owing to the burial Of
stones and other objects by the action
of worms, ancient monuments, portions
! of Roman villas. and other objects OF an
tiquity have been preserved These have
been gradually buried by the worms, and
so preserved from the destructive effect
Of rain and wind. Many Roman remains
were studied by Darwin, and traces Of
the action of worms found, TO which ac-
ton their preservation was mainly due.
The sinking of the foundations OF old
buildings is due to the action Of worms,
and no building Is safe from this unless
the foundations are laid lower than the
| level at which the worms can work, name
+ ~, about eight feet below the surface.
Another useful effect produced by
worms is the preparation of the soil for
the growth of seedlings. BY their agency
the soil Is periodically sifted and expos
ed TO the air, and in this way Is able to
retain moisture and absorb soluble sub
stances Of use for the nutrition of plants