94 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 



7. PLACOBDELLA MONTIFERA Moore 



This species is easily distinguished among the present assem- 

 blage by the enlarged head disc and strongly keeled back. It is 

 a solitary leech whose habits are still imperfectly known. Al- 

 though often found under stones and among plants in shallow 

 brooks and ponds it is a voracious blood sucker and in pursuit of 

 its food attaches itself frequently to frogs, toads, mussels and 

 snails. 



A single small specimen from Long Pt., Dec. 7, 1904, under 

 stone. 



HIRUDINID^ 



S. H^MOPIS MARMORATIS (Say) 



Along with P. parasitica this was one of the first leeches to be 

 described from North America by Thomas Say. It is widely 

 known as the horse leech from its habit of living in the mud of 

 pasture drinking holes and attacking horses and cattle that come 

 to its haunts to slake their thirst. It also occurs along the shores 

 of rivers and lakes where it burrows in the mud in search of earth- 

 worms, smaller leeches, insect larvae, various small mollusks, etc., 

 which constitute its usual food. Its eggs are laid in a mass of 

 albuminous mucus enclosed in a horny capsule and deposited in the 

 mud. 



This, the only species of Hirudinidse represented in the collec- 

 tion, was taken at two points only: "Long Pt. June 2, '01," one 

 specimen; "Green's flat, Apr. 3, '01," two small. 



ERPOBDELLID^ 



9. ERPOBDELLA PUNCTATA (Leidy) 



A generally very abundant species of fairly wide distribution, 

 well known for its variability, its activity and its ferocity. It 

 feeds upon all kinds of small aquatic invertebrates, not excepting 

 leeches of its own and smaller species, sucks the blood of vertebrates 

 whenever opportunity offers, and is a great scavenger, collecting in 

 great numbers wherever waste from slaughter houses is deposited 

 in streams, and on the shores of ponds upon which the prevailing 

 winds drive dead fishes and other animals. The egg capsules are 

 well-known chitinoid flattened capsules attached to the under sur- 

 face of stones, etc. 



"July 5, '99," one unspotted pale specimen ; "Outlet Bay, 1901," 

 one small ; "Long Pt., Nov. 1, '04, with others," several with D. 

 parva and D. fervida. 



