222 HIRUDICULTUEE. 



A less disgusting mode of feeding leeches is that 

 followed by M. Borne and Dr Sauve, which has the 

 additional recommendation of being economical. In 

 the first days of spring, when the leeches are moving 

 briskly in the marshes, and when they rush in multi- 

 tudes to the place where the water is disturbed, we may 

 conclude that they are in want of food; for leeches rush 

 out when a noise is made, only in hope of living prey 

 on which they may fasten. Their capture is effected 

 thus : In the large marshes of La Gironde, men and 

 women, protected by large boots well greased, go into 

 the marshes to fish for leeches. In the left hand they 

 hold a bag of very thick linen, and, stirring the water 

 with their feet, they seize with the right hand the 

 leeches which rush out in hope of prey. The usual way 

 of transporting them is in sacks of thick linen, placed 

 side by side in a long square basket, surrounded with 

 straw in winter, and with moist reeds in summer. 

 This mode proves fatal to vast numbers. M. Borne 

 uses a box, varying in size according to the number of 

 leeches to be transported. For six thousand he uses a 

 box of a little more than three feet in length, and di- 

 vided into six compartments. At the bottom of each 

 of these he places turf or reeds, and over these moss. 

 On this moss he places a bag containing a thousand 

 leeches, which are likewise covered with moss. And 

 so with each bag in succession, in order to avoid the 

 slightest shock. They can thus be carried long dis- 

 tances with a trifling mortality. A still more useful in- 

 vention is the domestic marsh of M. Meeus. This is a 

 box filled with river water, turfy earth, and aquatic 

 plants, in which the leeches live as in a natural marsh, 

 deposit their cocoons, and change their outer skin. 

 Two of these boxes one for leeches not used, the 

 other for leeches which have sucked are found to be 

 most useful in public hospitals. Those desiring to 

 preserve leeches will do well to remember that the 

 water employed must be river or rain water, but never 



