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Abstract of J. Scott on Worms. Sept 25/72/

p. (1) Error in last letter. ─ very soon ater the water has disappeared from the Rice field, the surface is studded with full-sized castings.

Also very soon after the Rice-fields are flooded are dry the surface studded with castings appear, but long existed them before, in very large numbers on any small [illeg] track which remains dry.

Mr Scott does not know whether the worms migrate from the flooded tracks, or penetrate deep into the underlying clay & there become dormant, & reappear as soon as the surface becomes dry.

(The castings from S. India collected by Dr King)

p. 2. No castings during Hot-season except shady places & near tanks.— at close of wet season & dry cold season the land covered with castings, especially on Lawns— thinks more abundant or numerous— Harden during day & are very slowly denuded— generally only rounded off & long stand up as little Knolls.— afterwards Crumble & disintegrate more or less by dry Heat.— Showers at this season wash them much & if not of very clayey nature quite disintegrate them, & form more or less rounded disc.—

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such low banks as they have in Gardens

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During cold-season when the castings are rather dry. Every shower washes them down more or less— if showers are very heavy they are quite levelled, if less Heavy they are formed into a rounded disc.— Have seen in former case ie after Heavy showers a space of 5 inches in diameter coated over.— Has often measured others 3– to 4 in diameter.—

It is very evident the washing down of the castings on such low banks as they have in Gardens slopes.— (see p. 2. C) actual measurements given — Also Dr King (p. 3) on the washing down of the big-castings disintegrated by the sun & rounded by light showers. Washed down the mountain-sides during rains.—

Second-query p. 3. disintegration of casts during dry season— this is very marked. & ready for dispersal by wind.— do also Dr King. saw them in similar [illeg]⁠ during dry season— do in Sikkim p. 3 measurements of castings

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[The remainder is the transcription from Correspondence vol. 20, pp. 423:]

p. 3. (b) has never seen worms below 2 1/2 feet deep, where it is damp all through the hot season. & worms then seem torpid.

p. 3 (c) size of great castings —many measurements. *(Have I used these measurements, I could work them in at end of ch 1.) [interl blue ink; square brackets in MS]— in single night.! or 2 nights.— swarm everywhere in Bengal.

All the castings sen<t> from Lower Bengal.—

Pellets on dry ground.——In forests less abundant than on open ground—Most in former sites during hot weather.— These pellets washed away every shower, & *disintegrate readily [underl red crayon] during dry season.— [double scored blue crayon]

p. 4. Worms draw leaves *and twigs [interl] into Holes, as in temperate climate.— chiefly during the cold *& dry [interl] season. During rainy season rarely done—