RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1871.12.25. There was rather heavy rain 2 or 3 days ago but I cannot see any chalk. CUL-DAR63.11. Edited by John van Wyhe (The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Prepared and edited by John van Wyhe 7.2025. RN1
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volumes CUL-DAR63, CUL-DAR64 and CUL-DAR65 contain a diverse array of materials for Darwin's research on earthworms. All of the textual items in these folders, including this one, have been transcribed in a single file: CUL-DAR63-65.
11
Dec 25 /71/
On poor grass field — lately laid down (beyond Stony field) or slope of about 6° measured: examined many several disintegrated castings — Slimy discs only little higher in middle — so that all 3 actions (wind) enabled (& perhaps transport matter washed them further down slope) & in all there at least to 2/3 of Earth below the hole, which was discovered by sling up the turfs & finding hole beneath or by pushing casting away.
["Stony field" was the Darwin family nickname for Great Pucklands.]
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 6 July, 2025