From D. J. Wintle   [before 9] December 1881¹

Dear Sir

I am a young man & have but little experience as an observer of Natural History— I live in the country however and spend the greater part of my leisure in the open air—

I have just read your Book on the Formation of mould by Worms—

In it I notice your observations lead you to find that—contrary to a popular supposition—worms are not disturbed or induced to leave their burrows by any beating of the earth or σεισμος short of an upheaval by a share or spade—²

I have been a Volunteer Private for 10 years, and after a few minute’s volley or file firing with blank cartridge by a company or Battalion, I have seen many large earth worms crawling about on the surface with great rapidity as if alarmed—and quit of their burrows—³

I have seen this on many occasions—on meadow grass as also on unlikely ground such as high dry commons under a warm sun—

I know Wimbledon Common, but have not observed any worms there during the annual Rifle competitions—not even in the notably wet season of (1877?)⁴

The sandy peaty nature of the soil would be, I suppose, a reason—

Pardon my directing your attention to the above which occurred to me on reading your interesting Book & | I remain | yours obediently | Douglas J. Wintle

Charles Darwin Esq LLD FRS