JAPANESE LAND LEECHES. 



287 



ring in the middle portion of the body is only oiie-half that of a 

 corresponding ring of Orohtlella Whitmani. and, in consequence, the 

 animal appears very tinely nnnnlated. 



That in this species each complete somite consists of eight rino-s 

 was very easily shown by the method I had used for the other 

 tw^o. For this purpose, the two larger specimens were cut open 

 from the dorsal surface, and the ])osition of the nervous îranoliu was 

 cnrefully examined. In botli of them, I could demonstrate most 

 clearly that, in the median portion of the body, every eif^hth ring 

 lodged a ganglion. The nephridial pores could not be recognised 

 externally in the two smaller specimens, but thev were visible in the 

 largest one. They open, in the middle i):irt of the bodv, on every 

 eighth ring too, and each of these rings inunediatelv precedes one 

 containing a ganglion. Thus, and by <'om paring this with other 

 leeches, it becomes clear that the gr(3ove between the ring that liears the 

 nephridial pores and that lodging the ganglion, is the boundary be- 

 tween two somites. Toward both extremities of the body, where abbre- 

 viation of the rings takes place, this regularity comes naturally to an end. 



This species is certainly one of the largest leeches that are known. 

 A specimen preserved in alcohol, and in a state of contraction at two 

 places, measures a little more than '270 mm. It therefore far surpasses 

 in length the largest' leech hitherto described, Hœmenteria Ghilianii de 

 Filippi(lcS49), concerning which de Filippi made the following remark: 

 "Cette espèce doit figurer au nombre des plus grandes sangsues; en effet 

 l'exemplaire dans l'alcool mesure m. 135 en longueur, et 0.05 en lar- 

 geur; et lorsqu'il était vivant, inasi que Mr. Giuliani m'a dit, il s'allon- 

 geait jusqu'à un pied de Paris." A specimen ni' Owhdella octouan'n, which 

 measures nearly as much in a somewhat contracted state, must have 

 surely been longer at least by half that diinension when fully stretched. 



The specimens of this leech were collected at Kinkwazan near 



