INTRODUCTION Page 1 6
CHAPTER I.
HABITS OF WORMS.
Nature of the sites inhabited Can live long under 7 15
water Nocturnal Wander about at night Often lie close
to the mouths of their burrows, and are thus destroyed
in large numbers by birds Structure Do not possess
eyes, but can distinguish between light and
darkness Retreat rapidly when brightly illuminated, not
by a reflex action Power of attention Sensitive to heat
and cold Completely deaf Sensitive to vibrations and to
touch Feeble power of smell Taste Mental
qualities Nature of food Omnivorous Digestion Leaves
before being swallowed, moistened with a fluid of the
nature of the pancreatic secretion Extra-stomachal
digestion Calciferous glands, structure of Calcareous
concretions formed in the anterior pair of glands The
calcareous matter primarily an excretion, but
secondarily serves to neutralise the acids generated
during the digestive process.
CHAPTER II.
HABITS OF WORMS _continued_.
Manner in which worms seize objects Their power of 52 120
suction The instinct of plugging up the mouths of their
burrows Stones piled over the burrows The advantages
thus gained Intelligence shown by worms in their manner
of plugging up their burrows Various kinds of leaves
and other objects thus used Triangles of paper Summary
of reasons for believing that worms exhibit some
intelligence Means by which they excavate their
burrows, by pushing away the earth and swallowing
it Earth also swallowed for the nutritious matter which
it contains Depth to which worms burrow, and the
construction of their burrows Burrows lined with
castings, and in the upper part with leaves The lowest
part paved with little stones or seeds Manner in which
the castings are ejected The collapse of old
burrows Distribution of worms Tower-like castings in
Bengal Gigantic castings on the Nilgiri
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