Ɛpsilon

To J. P. Taylor   16 November 1881

Down, Beckenham, Kent,

16 November, 1881

[…] Worms are hermaphrodites & pair, but it is not at all likely that the same individuals unite a second time.— They lay their eggs in capsules, in which the young are hatched: I do not know (but it probably is known) how many eggs & capsules the same worm lays & forms1 […] If you shd. ever read my book with care you will find that I have noticed the action of ants, beetles & moles—also about dust2 […] The ashes of plants are derived from the soil, & the carbonaceous matter oxidises & disappears in the course of time, except when the land is waterlogged & then peat is formed

incomplete3

1
Taylor had sent CD comments and questions after reading Earthworms (see letter from J. P. Taylor, 14 November 1881). CD had not discussed earthworm reproduction and gave only a brief description of their anatomy (Earthworms, pp. 17–19). Earthworms lay eggs within a protective capsule or cocoon; the number of eggs varies among species, but most have one egg per cocoon. The cocoon is produced when the skin of the clitellum (saddle-like ring) sloughs off, capturing fertilised eggs and creating an egg sac.
2
CD mentioned that earth was brought to the surface by ants and other burrowing insects, and by moles; he also noted that large amounts of dust were deposited by wind in dry countries, and by traffic on busy roads (see Earthworms, pp. 172, 175, 236–9).
3
The original letter is complete, and according to the sale catalogue is three pages long.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-13487A,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-13487A