Tue Microscope. 283 
leech is among others the most interesting from its habits. It is con- 
fined to the mountain slopes and ravines, never descending into the 
plains. It is not only a mountain leech, but it keeps habitually to 
the ground, living in moss or under damp leaves and rubbish. 
They are most voracious, and on the approach of man or beast are 
at once on the alert. They advance by rapid strides. They bite 
so gently as scarcely to attract attention; but the wound is deep, 
and the scar is more or less permanent. They gorge themselves 
for about thirty to forty minutes, and then drop; while sucking 
they become bedewed with a transparent liquid, which keeps them 
moist. If placed in water they do not swim, but sink, and then 
creep out, and while having a decided preference for a terrestrial 
life, can support life for days in water. If into a jar of hungry 
leeches a puff of breath is blown, they become much excited, and 
it will be difficult to keep them in; while trying to keep back one, 
a dozen others will get out. The geographical area of land leeches 
is mainly within the tropics, though in Japan they are exposed to 
a wide range of temperature. A new medicinal leech was dis- 
covered, well known to the Japanese, and with habits just like the 
European leech. In these leeches, the segmental organs are shown 
to be sense-organs, and the author believes that from them the eyes 
have developed, so that he regards them as incipient eye-spots. 
Ancient Eayprran PLants.— The recent exploration of un- 
opened tombs belonging to an early period in the history of the 
Egyptian people has permitted the examination of the plants in 
a condition which could not have been anticipated. And happily, 
the examination of the materials has been made by a botanist 
who is thoroughly acquainted with the existing flora of Egypt, for 
Dr. Schweinfurth has for a quarter of a century been exploring 
the plants of the Nile valley. The plant-remains were included 
within mummy wrappings, and, being thus heremetrically sealed, 
have been preserved with scarcely any change. By placing the 
plants in warm water, Dr. S. has succeeded in preparing a series of 
specimens gathered 4000 years ago, which are as satisfactory for 
the purpose of science as any collected at the present day. These 
specimens consequently supply means for the closest examination 
and comparison with their living representatives. The colors of the 
flowers are still present, even the most evanescent, such as the violet 
of the larkspur and knaporeed, and the scarlet of the poppy. The 
