246 Zoology of Colorado 



worms, or Lumbricidae, appear not to have been native in Colo- 

 rado, although they occur in most parts of the world. The old 

 settlers say there were not any when they came, and Dr. Frank 

 Smith, when he visited the State, found only introduced forms, 

 which are now abundant. These belong to the genera Helodrilus, 

 Odolasium and Lumbricus. Leeches or Hirudinea occur in our 

 lakes and ponds, but have not been closely studied. At Canon 

 City, Hall collected Placobdella rugosa of Verrill and Erpobdella 

 punctata of Leidy. The latter is a large leech, not averse to 

 sucking human blood. Many years ago Ingersoll reported two 

 species of leeches from Saguache, and in 1874 Verrill recorded 

 six Colorado species, his localities being in the region about 

 Long's Peak. The Clepsine pallida of Verrill is the circumpolar 

 Glossiphonia complanata of Linnaeus. It was found in Estes 

 Park. 



COELENTERATA 



The class Hydrozoa (or Hydromedusae), abundant in the 

 sea, is represented in Colorado by the freshwater Hydra, which is 

 not uncommon. It is a small creature with a cylindrical body 

 and long tentacles, and is attached at the base to some object. 

 It can reproduce sexually or by budding. The green form is 

 Hydra viridis of Linnaeus. 



PORIFERA OR SPONGES 



Common in the sea but some species are found in fresh water. 

 Ephydatia muelleri of Lieberkuehn has been found at Tolland. 

 It is cushion-like, rarely branched. 





