118 PLANAhiA GRAMINEA. 



rent integument, especially conspicuous at 

 the head and tail. 



Compared with the motion of the larger 

 planariae, that of the graminea is surprising- 

 ly swift, to which its peculiar figure, in ren- 

 dering it more buoyant, contributes. But 

 unlike the others, its adhesion to surrounding 

 substances is slight ; and when replete with 

 food, its ascent on the side of a glass vessel 

 is accomplished with difficulty. The tail, 

 though quite taper and acute, is principally 

 employed for adhesion ; however, it has no 

 resemblance to the corresponding extremi- 

 ty of the leech, notwithstanding there is 

 some general analogy of motion, contrac- 

 tion, and dilatation, between the two ani- 

 mals. 



Trusting to the classification of the gra- 

 minea by nomenclators, along with the 

 species of planariae most familiar to me, I 

 supplied it with various kinds of food, ex- 

 pecting the speedy protrusion of a retrac- 

 tile proboscis. None, however, appeared ; 

 nor was it possible, on the strictest scruti- 



■31 



