APPENDIX. 35.9 



extremity more firmly than if it was single, not 

 only by having more points of attachment, but 

 also by the divergement of its lobes, especially 

 the lower ones. When a man wishes to stand 

 as firmly and steadily as possible, he separates 

 his legs so as to form a certain angle : and this is 

 what its Creator has fitted our animal to do ; and 

 so by all these means it maintains its station on 

 the lubricous, multifid, and constantly moving 

 organs, from which it is commissioned to suck 

 the blood. Probably these Diplozoons may be 

 of the same use to the fishes they infest, as the 

 horse-flies are to the animal from which they 

 take their name. 



Dr. Nordmann found this creature could exist 

 submerged for three days, during which period its 

 movements became gradually more feeble. One 

 specimen, which he fed twice a day with fresh 

 fishes' blood, lived nine days in water, and ap- 

 peared to die at last from being too much 

 handled. 



What can more evidently illustrate both the 

 power, wisdom, and goodness of the Deity than 

 this most extraordinary animal ? How nicely is 

 it formed, in every respect, to fulfil the functions 

 given in charge to it! How admirably is it 

 secured against the mischances to which its sin- 

 gular situation exposes it ! When we see so 

 much art and skill put in action to adapt such 

 seemingly insignificant creatures, and so low in 



