622 Flying Leech, 



communication may not be altogether uninteresting to your 

 conchological readers. — F, H. N, Glossop. East Teignmouth, 

 Devonshire, September 7. 1835. 



Leeches.— The Flying Leech. (II. 368., V. 754..) — I have 

 lately read with much interest, in a book entitled The His- 

 tory of Ceylon by Philalethes, and Robert Knox's Historical Re- 

 lation of the Island, some account of leeches which I have 

 no doubt are the same kind as those mentioned in this Ma- 

 gazine (II. 368; V. 754.). Why they are called flying leeches 

 I cannot understand ; but I think an extract or two from 

 Philalethes and Knox will be acceptable to some of your 

 readers : — 



" Leeches swarm in particular situations, where they are 

 found very vexatious to the traveller on his way, or to the 

 troops on their march. They are of a reddish brown colour, 

 about the thickness of a knitting needle, and an inch in length. 

 They fasten on the feet," &c. {Philalethes, p. 26*.) "There 

 is a sort of leech of the nature of ours, only differing in co- 

 lour and bigness ; for they are of a dark reddish brown co- 

 lour, and as big as a goose-quill ; in length some are 2 or 

 3 inches. At first, when they are young, they are no bigger than 

 a horse-hair, so that they can scarce be seen. In dry weather 

 none of them appear, but immediately upon the fall of rains 

 the grass and woods are full of them. These leeches seize 

 upon the legs of travellers, who, going barefooted, according 

 to the custom of that land, have them hanging upon their legs 

 in multitudes, which suck their blood till their bellies are full, 

 and then drop off. 



11 They come in such quantities, that the people cannot pull 

 them off as fast as they crawl on : the blood runs pouring 

 down their legs all the way they go, and it is no little smart 

 neither, so that they would willingly be without them if they 

 could, especially those that have sores on their legs ; for they 

 all gather to the sore. But besides these, there are water 

 leeches, the same with ours." (Knox, p. 48.) — TV. B. B. TV., 

 Nov. 15. 1832. 



[In the extract (Vol. II. p. 368.) quoted from Heber's Nar- 

 rative, it is stated, that " they possess the power of springing, 

 by means of a filament, to a considerable distance." " A Sub- 

 scriber" observes, (vol. v. p. 754.), on his own experience, 

 " I never saw them attempt to spring; but they certainly 

 contrive to fix themselves most dexterously on the legs of 

 men and horses, even when moving on at a smart pace." The 

 late Rev. Lansdown Guilding has observed, in a note lying 

 by us (date, May 1. 1830), that "this flying or springing 

 leech? [II. 368.] is worthy of farther investigation. I have 



