Benham. — New Species of Leech (Hirudo autipodum). 185 



Art. XXI. — On a Neio Species of Leech (Hirudo anti- 

 podum) recently discovered in Neiu Zealand. 



By Professor W. B. Benham, D.Sc, M.A., F.Z.S., Cor. 



M.E.S. Tasm. 



[Read before the Otago Institute, 9th June, 1903.'] 



Plate VIII. 



Three years ago Professor Deudy, in association with one of 

 his pupils at Canterbury College, published* a description of 

 a small aquatic leech (Glossiphonia nova-zealandice) collected 

 in Lake Takapuna. This is the first certain record of the 

 occurrence of a member of the class Hirudinea in this 

 country. 



Nevertheless, from time to time people have referred to 

 "leeches" as occurring m various parts of the bush or in 

 lakes — as, for instance, Eeischek,! in his interesting account 

 of his ornithological expeditions, mentions being bitten by 

 leeches ; and I have heard, in correspondence, of their occur- 

 rence. And Dr. Chilton some years ago took Home specimens 

 caught at Lake Hayes, near Queenstown, and gave them to 

 Mr. F. E. Beddard, but nothing has since been heard of 

 them. 



Moreover, in the United States National Museum there 

 are two individuals of a terrestrial leech, Geobdella limhata, 

 ascribed to " New Zealand. "| It is very doubtful whether 

 this locality is the correct one. Mr. Moore, who identifies 

 them with the species originally described by Grube under 

 the name H. (Chtonobdella) limhata, and found at Sydney, § 

 writes to me that no information is forthcoming beyond the 

 writing on the bottle (or tube), '' New Zealand." Now, it 

 seems to me extremely unlikely that land-leeches, if they occur 

 in New Zealand, would have been overlooked by the various 

 collectors and naturalists who have contributed so much to our 

 knowledge of the natural history of New Zealand during the 

 last few years, and that yet they should have been obtained 

 during a short visit to this colony by the United States Ex- 

 ploring Expedition of 1853. Mr. Moore promises me that he 

 will look through the records of this Expedition and endeavour 

 to find out any details as to these leeches. If they are really 

 from New Zealand, it is probable that they do not belong to 



*Dendy and OUiver, Trans. N.Z. Inst., xxxiii., 1900, p. 99. 



t Reischek, Trans. N.Z. Inst., xvii., p. 197. 



+ Moore, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., xxi., 56.3. 



i Grube, " Anneliden in Reise Pregatte 'Novara,' " 1868, p. 41. 



