Burrowing of the Lugworm

Abstract

IN his recent letter in Nature¹, Wells gives an interesting account of the movements and action of the proboscis of the lugworm and of the part that it plays in burrowing. He considers that its movements alone are sufficient to account for this activity, which is chiefly due to the diverging teeth of the buccal mass scraping away soil particles in the line of advance. He appears to consider that the physical properties of the soil are of no direct importance to burrowing, which he likens to that of a "digging rabbit".