39

Oct. 11th 1880

1)

(Action of Gizzard — worms)

Castings from gravel-walk at Abinger — gravel over broken bricks & mortar — many bits of mortar, proved by acid — about 1/2 of them certainly appear rounded, especially one bit adhering to grains of quantity, & in the bits of mortar there is particle of brick, which certainly seem rounded — In case of mortar may be dissolution, but then why not other particles? I think rounded by worm gizzard.

Farrer & Horace collected castings on Farm road made with brick-rubbish.

Castings red, but this may have been due to original dust & ponding of casts. — Many particle seem to me distinctly rounded & very different from the rounded brick, which I formerly examined. They differ, however, in the rounding, as might have been expected as some may not be long retained in intestinal canal. It is possible that some fragments may have adhered externally to castings, but I extracted 4 (2 of which well rounded) one of unbroken pellets, or distinct castings.

[insertion:] of those examined & sent to Sorby

Size varied from 3 to 1 mm. in longer diameter; but one was 3 1/2 mm in diameter — Endless minute particles.

(over)

39v

Brick or Tiles K. garden

not rounded

rounded 1 2

Cinder

not rounded 2 [total] 2

rounded 1 1 2 2 [total] 6

40

2)

The fine dust from dry castings consists chiefly of grain of silex, others coated with red or endless particles of brick. — The finest dust, after all broken off glass slide — largely particles of Brick

Oct 19 [1880]

Disintegration of fragments [found] by [Francis] in gizzard — near Hot-house when bits of brick & scum:

(1) watch-glass, 2 bits of flint, one of coal & one scoriæ — not rounded; but eyes seem not fresh, a little blunted one of quartz about 1 mm across — other quartz many 2. mm long (along a bit of brick — I think certainly brick but yellowish — when broken — [considerably] rounded.

(2) watch-glass bit of flint & scoriæ — & 2 very hard spherical concretion of carbonate of Lime — The scoria was chiefly rounded, lost

(3) 2 flint & coal & soft cinder — Edge blunted — most particles less than 1 mm.

(4) 3 of flint — one with Edges not blunted — 1 of stone above 2 mm & 2 apparently tiles (with Edges a good deal rounded — I think tile, but yellowish)

(5) 1 bit of flint Edge slippery rounded, other bit lost.

(6) 2 of cinder decidedly rounded — 3 of flint of which only one with Edges decidedly a little rounded.

(7) rose-thorn — 2 of cinders 1/2 rounded — 4 of flint, one of which with Edge hardly at all blunted, 2 partly well rounded. From intestine of same worm, 3 of coal or cinders — 1 of flint & 1 of mortar, little well rounded — others in same state as those in gizzards

The number of bits of cinder — soft stone & brick come as if the worms produced softish substances, yet a good many bits of flint