Carolyn Humman, age 12, of Euclid, Ohio, for her question:

What is the swollen ring around an earthworm?

Andy can tell that spring has arrived, even without looking outdoors. At this time of year, his readers get taken with earthworm curiosity. Mr. pinky is always a great favorite! But in spring he heads the popularity poll. Perhaps this is because the string and bent pin fishing season has opened. Fixing the little fellow on a hook makes us curious. There is room for only one column about worms, but the answers to a few extra popular questions have been included.

The plump girdle around an earthworm is a special factory for making cradles and nurseries. It is called the clitellum and made of fatty cells able to secrete soft, sticky mucous. This is the material used to make the cocoon which shelters the eggs.

Two types of cells are needed to make the eggs. One type is stored in the 18th segment of the worm's body ‑ counting from the head end. The other type is stored in segments 9, 10 and 11. At the proper time, the clitellum glands give off a sizeable wad of filmy mucous. It circles the worm's body in a scarf and starts to move forward over the bumpy segments.

At segment 14, the first ripe cells are gathered into the filmy scarf. The other cells are collected as the scarf passes over segments 9, 10 and llo Once inside, the two cell types unite with its precious burden and finally slides right off the end of the worm's pointed head. The two sides now seal to form a cozy cocoon. It rests on the ground until the youngsters hatch and wriggle off into the world.

It is true that a worm will not necessarily die when cut in two. If the cut is ahead of segment 18, the front will grow a new tail and the back end will grow five segments to replace the head. If the cut is behind segment 18, the back end grows a new tail also. This poor creature, with a tail at each end, has no mouth and soon perishes,

The fascinating Mr. Pinky can see without eyes and hear without ears. At least, a flash light or heavy footsteps send him wriggling to safety back in his grow in his burrow. He can also breathe without lungs and walk without legs.

Seeing and hearing are done by special nerve glands in the skin. The pink skin is also able to use oxygen straight from the air.

Aside from all these wonderful tricks, the earthworm is one of the most useful creatures in the world. Most plants and many creatures could not survive without him. His burrows let air and water down to the roots of trees and plants. He eats the chemically rich dirt below ground, totes it upstairs and leaves it in curly little piles on the surface. He is one of natures busiest plowmen. Luckily the earthworm is a very plentiful little fellow over most of the world. For a good many birds and small animals depend upon the worm supply for their diets.