This habit of lying near the surface leads to their destruction to an
immense extent. Every morning, during certain seasons of the year, the
thrushes and blackbirds on all the lawns throughout the country draw out of
their holes an astonishing number of worms; and this they could not do
unless they lay close to the surface.
It is not probable that worms behave in this manner for the sake of
breathing fresh air, for they can live for a long time under water. I
believe that they lie near the surface for the sake of warmth, especially
in the morning; and we shall hereafter find that they often coat the mouths
of their burrows with leaves, apparently to prevent their bodies from
coming into close contact with the cold, damp earth.
+The Uses of Words and Groups of Words+.--We will break up Mr. Darwin's
first group of sentences into single sentences or single statements, each
having but one predicate verb.
1. Angleworms often lie for hours almost motionless close beneath the
mouths of their burrows. 2. Morren says this. 3.
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