suggestions, for it will hardly do to assume that every fool knows what
"intelligent" means. (548/2. "Mr. Romanes, who has specially studied the
minds of animals, believes that we can safely infer intelligence only when
we see an individual profiting by its own experience...Now, if worms try to
drag objects into their burrows, first in one way and then in another,
until they at last succeed, they profit, at least in each particular
instance, by experience" ("The Formation of Vegetable Mould," 1881, page
95).) You will understand that the MS. is only the first rough copy, and
will need much correction. Please return it, for I have no other copy--
only a few memoranda. When I think how it has bothered me to know what I
mean by "intelligent," I am sorry for you in your great work on the minds
of animals.

I daresay that I shall have to alter wholly the MS.


LETTER 549. TO FRANCIS GALTON.
Down, March 8th [1881].

Very many thanks for your note. I have been observing the [worm] tracks on
my walks for several months, and they occur (or can be seen) only after
heavy rain. As I know that worms which are going to die (generally from
the parasitic larva of a fly) always come out of their burrows, I have
looked out during these months, and have usually found in the morning only
from one to three or four along the whole length of my walks. On the other
hand, I remember having in former years seen scores or hundreds of dead
worms after heavy rain. (549/1. "After heavy rain succeeding dry weather,
an astonishing number of dead worms may sometimes be seen lying on the
ground. Mr. Galton informs me that on one occasion (March, 1881), the dead
worms averaged one for every two-and-a-half paces in length on a walk in