BDELLODEA CLEPSINE A CLEPSINE MODESTA. 961 



Most of the species are elegantly and some are quite brilliantly colored, but 

 the colors are often quite variable in the species, and cannot be relied upon 

 for distinguishing them without other characters of more importance. The 

 body is always depressed and much flattened; it is broadest posteriorly, but 

 the outline varies extremely, according to the state of contraction or extension. 

 They are- most frequently found adhering to the under surfaces of floating 

 logs and old pieces of boards, or beneath the loosened bark of submerged 

 branches and trunks of decaying trees. Occasionally they adhere -to the 

 lower surface of larger leeches, turtles, or other animals, but they probably 

 never suck blood. They have a slender exsertile proboscis, by means of 

 which they feed upon insect larvse, small worms, and especially upon PJiysa, 

 Lltnn&a, and other small univalve mollusks, &c. When disturbed, these 

 species curl themselves up after the manner of "pill-bugs" and certain 

 insect larvse. The eggs, when laid, are retained in a cluster beneath the 

 expanded and concave posterior portion of the body, which is arched over 

 them, and kept in continuous undulatory motion during the period of incuba- 

 tion. The young, when hatched, adhere in a group to the posterior part of 

 the lower surface of the body of the parent by means of their posterior 

 sucker, and before quitting the parent usually present the essential charac- 

 ters, and often nearly the pattern of color of the adult, though paler. 



SECTION A. Ocelli 2, separate or coufluent. 

 SUBSECTION a. Back smooth. 

 CLEPSINE MODESTA Verrill. 



Clepsine modesta VERRILL, op. tit., 1872, 129, f. 2; v, 1873, 388. VERRILL, S.vn. N. A. 



Fresh Water Leeches, in Hep. U. S. Com. Fish & Fisheries, 1874, 079. 

 CJeptsine sitbmodesta NICHOLSON, Canadian Jour , 1873. 



Body in extension elongated, tapering and very slender anteriorly, 

 broader and obtusely rounded posteriorly. Length, about 1.5 inches in exten- 

 sion. Back smooth, faintly annulated, translucent. Head small, obtuse, 

 whitish. Ocelli two, black, near together. The general color above is 

 usually pale purplish-brown or purplish flesh-color, with minute specks of 

 brown and very small round spots of dull yellow and often of light green; 

 margins and a median dorsal line pale. Acetabulum moderately large, 



whitish. Auditory vesicle placed near the head, small, rounded, slightly 

 61 7. 



