按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
to a great depth。
In the dry climate of New South Wales； I hardly expected that worms
would be common； but Dr。 G。 Krefft of Sydney； to whom I applied；
after making inquiries from gardeners and others； and from his own
observations； informs me that their castings abound。 He sent me
some collected after heavy rain； and they consisted of little
pellets； about 0。15 inch in diameter； and the blackened sandy earth
of which they were formed still cohered with considerable tenacity。
The late Mr。 John Scott of the Botanic Gardens near Calcutta made
many observations for me on worms living under the hot and humid
climate of Bengal。 The castings abound almost everywhere； in
jungles and in the open ground； to a greater degree； as he thinks；
than in England。 After the water has subsided from the flooded
rice…fields； the whole surface very soon becomes studded with
castingsa fact which much surprised Mr。 Scott； as he did not know
how long worms could survive beneath water。 They cause much
trouble in the Botanic garden； 〃for some of the finest of our lawns
can be kept in anything like order only by being almost daily
rolled； if left undisturbed for a few days they become studded with
large castings。〃 These closely resemble those described as
abounding near Nice； and they are probably the work of a species of
Perichaeta。 They stand up like towers； with an open passage in the
centre。
A figure of one of these castings from a photograph is here given
（Fig。 3）。 The largest received by me was 3。5 inches in height and
1。35 inch in diameter； another was only 0。75 inch in diameter and
2。75 in height。 In the following year； Mr。 Scott measured several
of the largest； one was 6 inches in height and nearly 1。5 in
diameter： two others were 5 inches in height and respectively 2
and rather more than 2。5 inches in diameter。 The average weight of
the 22 castings sent to me was 35 grammes （1。25 oz。）； and one of
them weighed 44。8 grammes （or 2 oz。）。 All these castings were
thrown up either in one night or in two。 Where the ground in
Bengal is dry； as under large trees； castings of a different kind
are found in vast numbers： these consist of little oval or conical
bodies； from about the 1/20 to rather above 1/10 of an inch in
length。 They are obviously voided by a distinct species of worms。
The period during which worms near Calcutta display such
extraordinary activity lasts for only a little over two months；
namely； during the cool season after the rains。 At this time they
are generally found within about 10 inches beneath the surface。
During the hot season they burrow to a greater depth； and are then
found coiled up and apparently hybernating。 Mr。 Scott has never
seen them at a greater depth than 2。5 feet； but has heard of their
having been found at 4 feet。 Within the forests； fresh castings
may be found even during the hot season。 The worms in the Botanic
garden； during the cool and dry season； draw many leaves and little
sticks into the mouths of their burrows； like our English worms；
but they rarely act in this manner during the rainy season。
Mr。 Scott saw worm…castings on the lofty mountains of Sikkim in
North India。 In South India Dr。 King found in one place； on the
plateau of the Nilgiris； at an elevation of 7000 feet； 〃a good many
castings；〃 which are interesting for their great size。 The worms
which eject them are seen only during the wet season； and are
reported to be from 12 to 15 inches in length； and as thick as a
man's little finger。 These castings were collected by Dr。 King
after a period of 110 days without any rain； and they must have
been ejected either during the north…east or more probably during
the previous south…west monsoon； for their surfaces had suffered
some disintegration and they were penetrated by many fine roots。 A
drawing is here given （Fig。 4） of one which seems to have best
retained its original size and appearance。 Notwithstanding some
loss from disintegration； five of the largest of these castings
（after having been well sun…dried） weighed each on an average 89。5
grammes； or above 3 oz。； and the largest weighed 123。14 grammes； or
4。33 oz。；that is； above a quarter of a pound！ The largest
convolutions were rather more than one inch in diameter； but it is
probable that they had subsided a little whilst soft； and that
their diameters had thus been increased。 Some had flowed so much
that they now consisted of a pile of almost flat confluent cakes。
All were formed of fine； rather light…coloured earth； and were
surprisingly hard and compact； owing no doubt to the animal matter
by which the particles of earth had been cemented together。 They
did not disintegrate； even when left for some hours in water。
Although they had been cast up on the surface of gravelly soil；
they contained extremely few bits of rock； the largest of which was
only 0。15 inch in diameter。
Dr。 King saw in Ceylon a worm about 2 feet in length and 0。5 inch
in diameter； and he was told that it was a very common species
during the wet season。 These worms must throw up castings at least
as large as those on the Nilgiri Mountains； but Dr。 King saw none
during his short visit to Ceylon。
Sufficient facts have now been given； showing that worms do much
work in bringing up fine earth to the surface in most or all parts
of the world； and under the most different climates。
CHAPTER IIITHE AMOUNT OF FINE EARTH BROUGHT UP BY WORMS TO THE
SURFACE。
Rate at which various objects strewed on the surface of grass…
fields are covered up by the castings of wormsThe burial of a
paved pathThe slow subsidence of great stones left on the
surfaceThe number of worms which live within a given spaceThe
weight of earth ejected from a burrow； and from all the burrows
within a given spaceThe thickness of the layer of mould which the
castings on a given space would form within a given time if
uniformly spread outThe slow rate at which mould can increase to
a great thicknessConclusion。
We now come to the more immediate subject of this volume； namely；
the amount of earth which is brought up by worms from beneath the
surface； and is afterwards spread out more or less completely by
the rain and wind。 The amount can be judged of by two methods；by
the rate at which objects left on the surface are buried； and more
accurately by weighing the quantity brought up within a given time。
We will begin with the first method； as it was first followed。
Near Mael Hall in Staffordshire； quick…lime had been spread about
the year 1827 thickly over a field of good pasture…land； which had
not since been ploughed。 Some square holes were dug in this field
in the beginning of October 1837； and the sections showed a layer
of turf； formed by the matted roots of the grasses； 0。5 inch in
thickness； beneath which； at a depth of 2。5 inches （or 3 inches
from the surface）； a layer of the lime in powder or in small lumps
could be distinctly seen running all round the vertical sides of
the holes。 The soil beneath the layer of lime was either gravelly
or of a coarse