It is true that the worm may find a little food in the earth which he swallows. But the chief food of the worm is dead leaves and stems of plants. It does not care for fresh, live leaves and stems and roots. The worm also likes meat,--fat, raw, or cooked. Worms will gnaw or suck the bodies of dead worms. We say worms _gnaw_. As they have no teeth, they do not really gnaw. They pinch off what they eat. Worms like onions and cabbage best of all food. They need plenty of water, and must live in damp places. They soon die if they are put into water. They choke as a fish chokes if kept out in the air. When the worm gets food into its mouth, the rings of its body begin to move out and in. They look as if they were opening and shutting. By this motion they press the food down into the body. When the worm wants to move, it stretches out its body to its full length. Then it takes hold of the earth with its hooks. Next it draws up its body, and so moves on. This is a wave-like motion, you see. Watch it, and you will see that it travels with a motion like waves. If you wish to find worms to study, you must seek for them in early morning or late in the evening. You will be likely to find them when all the earth is moist with dew, or when it is raining. They avoid heat and sun. Worms hurry to the surface of the soil to enjoy the falling rain. When there is a long, dry time, the worms go down deeper and deeper into the earth. You cannot find them when you dig for them. They need to keep down where the earth is moist, soft, and cool. LESSON XIII. MR. WORM AT WORK. Worms are found in all parts of the world. I have told you that they help to build the world, and make it fit for the home of man. Man cannot live without food. He gets his food from the earth. The worms help to prepare the earth to bring forth the food of man. Oh, this is very strange, that humble and dirty worms can be a help to man! Man is the highest of all animals. Worms are nearly the lowest. And can worms help man? Now let us see how this is done. The worms live under ground. They make long, winding halls, like streets, some inches below the top soil. These halls, or little tunnels, help to keep the earth loose, so that the fine roots of the plants can grow well in it. These tunnels also serve to help the air move more easily through the soil. By their constant motion below the surface the worms till the earth, as rakes, spades, or ploughs till it above. All this is of great use, and people say, “Many worms, rich land.” Now and then you will hear, on the other hand, that the worms have eaten up the seed sown. Or, people say the worms have bitten off the roots of the plants. Some say that the worms cut the vines below the soil. You need not think the earth-worms did that. Not at all! The earth-worms never behave so ill. The “worms” that people mean, when they speak of this harm done, are the grubs or larvæ of some insects, as of the daddy-long-legs and others.