My dear William

As the Printers have not sent me proof-sheets, I have been arranging my notes about worms, & I want your help on one point.— Possibly before the autumn you may wish to take some one to Beaulieu Abbey, or if not w^d you be so good as to go there in the early autumn, when the worms work most.¹

What I want is a packet of castings from above the tiles in the square cleared hole; for I find in my notes the clearest statement that the minute fragments of brick in the castings were rounded, as if by attrition in the muscular gizzard of the worms.² Now I very much wish to examine under the microscope more of such particles of brick, tile, slate or any other artificial object, which could hardly have been worn except in the worm’s gizzard. Will you help me & keep this in mind.

Love to Sara³ | Your affect. Father | C. Darwin