Show Ancient Giant Earthworm There is an animal which is related related related re re- to the salamander and the frog which looks like a gigantic earthworm and lives an an earthworms earthworm's earthworms earthworm's earthworms earthworm's earth earth- worms worm's life lite and which is so rarely seen that probably not one person in a million is aware of its existence exist exist- ence It is the caecilian a very ancient creature forming the third branch of the order of amphibians which were the first back boned back boned creatures to come out oat of the seas and establish themselves on the theland theland theland land nearly million years ago Numbering about 50 d different species cies dies the caecilians inha inhabit it most of tropical America Africa and Asia These cre creatures tures spend al all aU their ther lives burrow burrowing ng in the tho soh soil They live chiefly on orm and come to the surface only very very briefly after heavy rains rains Since they are so easily easily cas ily mistaken for or snakes they are avo avoided ded although so far as known they are entirely harmless |