HIRUDO. 49 



i'LATE V. 



FIG. 1. Hirudoflava, the Yellow Leech, young. 



2. The same, enlarged. 



3. Head more enlarged, shewing its form, and the position of the 



eyes. 



4. Hirudo /lava, adult specimen, back. 



5. Sketch of fig. 4 enlarged ; sucker b. 



6. The same, belly ; sucker a. 



7. Sketch of fig. 5 enlarged ; sucker a. 



8. Head more enlarged. 



9. Prolific female slightly enlarged, with a stratum of ova or capsules, 



under surface. 



10. Early appearance of spawn in a prolific specimen. 



1 1 . Intimate appearance of seven embryos, enlarged. 



12. Prolific female. 



13. Head of the same, enlarged. 



14. Under surface of fig. 12, more enlarged. 



15. Cluster of ova, more enlarged. 



16. Young still attached to the parent, enlarged. 



17. The same when further advanced, and free. 



18. One of the young farther advanced, most of the contents of the 



viscera being discharged, more enlarged. 



19. Head of the same, shewing the red eyes, enlarged. 



The leech is an animal of very peculiar habits, and the more likely 

 to attract notice, on account of its being brought into such immediate 

 contact with mankind, extremely restless in its nature, most voracious 

 in its appetites, greedy of b'lood, and patient under protracted abstinence, 

 these are sufficient, with its real properties, to render it an object of 

 interest, without resorting, as in fabulous eras, to imaginary virtues for 

 embellishment. Its utility in assuaging human calamity ought to be of 

 itself sufficient. 



The leech exhibits many peculiarities. It is social, or it is solitary ; 

 dwelling under cover, and numbers clustering together, protected by 

 stones, shells, and other solid coverings, or descending among the mud on 

 the approach of winter. 



G 



