The Natural History of Selborne

Peaches, & nect. rot.  Wasps are busy still.  *Large earth-worms now abound on my grass-plot, where the ground was sunk more than a foot.  At first when the earth was removed, none seemed to remain: but whether they were bred from eggs that were concealed in the turf, is hard to say.  Worms do not seem to inhabit beneath the vegetable mould.

The oestrus curvicauda is found in Lancashire: probably the kingdom over.  It lays it’s nits on horses legs, flanks, &c. each one on a single hair.  The maggots when hatched do not enter the horses skins, but fall to the ground.  On what & how are they supported?  * Earthworms obtain & encrease in the grass-walks, where in levelling they were dug down more than 18 inches.   So that they were either left in the soil, deep as it was removed: or else the eggs or young remained in the turf.  Worms seem to eat the earth;   also brick-dust lying among the earth, as appears by their casts.   They delight in slopes, probably to avoid being flooded, & perhaps supply slopes with mould, as it is washed away by rains.  They draw straws, stalks of vine-leaves, &c. into their holes, no doubt for the purpose of food.  Without worms perhaps vegetation would go on but lamely, since they perforate, loosen, & meliorate the soil, rendering it pervious to rains, the fibres of plants, & c.  Worms come out all the winter in mild seasons.